AMHERST — Several large parties and a few fights with injuries kept Amherst Police busy over the mild and dry weekend, with one gathering bringing well over 1,000 college-age people to the Hampshire College campus.
At 10:59 p.m. Saturday, Amherst Police were contacted by campus security about a party taking place in the woods near the tennis courts.
When officers got there, they found around 1,500 people partying, some of whom appeared to be remaining students completing their studies at the college, joined by University of Massachusetts students.
No arrests were made and those attending the party were sent on their way by campus security and police.
A party that had a more significant impact on the quality of life of the neighborhood took place on Belchertown Road Friday at 10:13 p.m.. There, police found 400 to 500 party-goers trespassing on neighboring residential properties, where some were urinating, and others were walking in the road and blocking traffic.
At one nearby home, party-goers kicked over a garbage can, spilling trash onto the yard.
As a result of that party, two people are being summoned to court on charges of violating the town’s open container bylaw and two people are facing charges related to being a minor in possession of alcohol and violating the town’s open container bylaw.
These were among incidents coming on a weekend when more people were in town, including at the UMass football game, the team’s first home sellout in 12 years, and for Family Weekend at the university.
At a North Pleasant Street fraternity where a live band was playing Saturday at 9:16 p.m., police issued a $300 ticket for violating the town’s noise bylaw. That citation came after music continued following an initial warning to quiet down. About 100 people, a mix of students and their parents, were gathered at the home.
Police responded to another fraternity Sunday at 12:20 a.m. after getting a complaint about underage drinking and marijuana distribution, but officers found no evidence to support those claims. The people at that party told police they would be heading home.
The weekend also included several fights. One incident involved five combatants on Sunset Avenue Saturday at 12:20 a.m., which led to the arrest of one college-age man on a charge of disorderly conduct.
Another fight took place Saturday at 8:25 p.m. at a downtown bar. There, a man suffered a bloody nose after being head-butted. He and the suspect both fled. The victim, though, was later identified after seeking medical attention at a Hadley clinic.
At 9:49 p.m. Saturday, at a downtown bar, two bouncers were trying to prevent an intoxicated man from entering the establishment. That man suffered injuries, too, but declined treatment. Police are investigating.
