AMHERST — Although the tailgating event before the University of Massachusetts football game brought hundreds of students to the parking lots near McGuirk Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon, public safety officials reported few issues arising from it.
Amherst Fire Chief Walter “Tim” Nelson said one ambulance crew and a fire captain were stationed at the game, which began at 3:30 p.m., after the three-hour tailgating.
“For us, we need to have a command and control presence in case something untoward happens,” Nelson said of his department’s response.
Nelson said emergency crews were ready in case any players were injured during the game.
The weekend as a whole was not as “over the top” as previous fall weekends, Nelson said, with 10 drunken patients getting medical attention, nine of whom were transported to the hospital.
Amherst Police responded to a handful of events prior to the kickoff between the UMass Minutemen and the University of Charlotte 49ers. At 11:26 a.m. Saturday, officers went to a Lincoln Avenue home for loud music, finding a small party that was shut down, with the guests telling police they would be going to the tailgate. At 12:16 p.m., Main Street residents were warned for making loud noise while pregaming.
Officers did foot patrols on Fearing Street and Lincoln Avenue beginning at 3:15 p.m., as the tailgate was winding down, and throughout the late afternoon issued nine warnings to people violating alcohol laws. Police charged two individuals for being minors in possession of alcohol and violating the open container bylaw.
Over the weekend, a 21-year-old Medford man was issued a $300 ticket for violating the town’s noise bylaw after police went to a Carriage Lane home at 1:56 a.m. Sunday. The man refused to quiet guests despite a courtesy call from police made because he had registered the party through UMass.
And four college-age men were observed riding in a wheelbarrow that was being pushed along Fearing Street at 11:44 p.m. Friday. The men were later seen taking a scooter from a Lincoln Avenue dwelling, though there was no evidence they stole it, according to police.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
