July 01--What started out to be an outdoor birthday party for friends Saturday night turned into something much bigger thanks to social media like Twitter and Facebook.
A mother and daughter were arrested, and Forsyth County emergency medical technicians treated juveniles for signs of alcohol poisoning before it was over.
Betty Shults, 48, was charged with multiple counts of giving alcohol to a person under 21, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of violating the controlled substance act.
Her daughter, Tia Shults, 19, was charged with multiple counts of aiding and abetting giving alcohol to a person under 21 and consuming alcohol by a person under 21.
"It went viral," Betty Shults said Sunday. "They were parked down the street at the church and kept coming. It snowballed. I was outside trying to get kids to leave when the police came."
"There were kids I didn't even know. Some came from Charlotte and Greensboro," Tia Shults said.
According to the Winston-Salem Police Department, warrants and an interview with the Shults, events unfolded this way:
Tia Shults asked the city Recreation and Parks Department on June 21 for a permit to hold a block party on June 30, Saturday night, in the 4500 block of Carver School Road. The request was denied because Carver School Road is a main thoroughfare.
They decided to hold the party anyhow, and told neighbors beforehand.
On Saturday evening, officers went to the house and found a large crowd they later estimated at 400. They told the Shults family to make sure traffic wasn't blocked and to obey applicable laws.
"One young man was intoxicated when he showed up," Betty Shults said. "My intent was to take him and another girl who'd passed out home but I had my hands full with crowd control."
About 12:20 Sunday morning, officers returned and said they had complaints about marijuana use. A search warrant was obtained, and the party was broken up.
"When the police came, people got scared and started stashing stuff in my house," Tia Shults said. "My mom didn't give anybody any alcohol."
A total of about 1/2 ounce of marijuana and rolling papers were seized from the premises. It was not immediately clear how many partygoers were treated by EMTs. Efforts to reach the police captain in charge of the scene were not successful.
"They (kids) tore up my house," Betty Shults said.
Betty Shults was released from the Forsyth County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond. Tia Shults was issued citations.
Copyright 2012 - Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.
