CRIME WATCH: Mill fest arrests and charges
After a two year hiatus, Mill fest made its debut. On Saturday, people of all ages made their way down to Mill Street to celebrate the beginning of fest season and the return of warmer weather, but many had a run in with the law.
Fest season has become an annual Athens’ tradition since the early 1960s, according to The Athens News. In order to keep the thousands of party-goers under control, the Ohio Investigative Unit, Athens Police Department and Ohio University Police Department patrol the area to maintain order and prevent misconduct.
OIU, a section of the Ohio State Highway patrol that focuses on alcohol, tobacco and food stamp enforcement, arrested 44 people and made 88 total charges Saturday. The three most common charges were for persons under age 21 knowingly possessing beer with 25 charges, for persons under 21 knowingly possessing intoxicating liquor with 16 charges and for certain acts prohibited with fictitious identification with 32 charges.
“Athens Police Department did not have a significant number of arrests in the Mill St. Area. For the entire city, there were 4 arrests by APD on Saturday,” Ralph Harvey, captain of police for APD, said in an email.
Two people arrested by APD were charged with using weapons while intoxicated, and the other two were charged with intoxication.
This year’s numbers are considerably higher compared to the last Mill fest two years ago. In 2019, the OIU arrested 15 people, resulting in 28 total charges, while 4 people were arrested by the Athens Police department, according to The Athens NEWS.
