Pubdate: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 Source: Ocean County Observer (NJ) Copyright: 2004 Ocean County Observer Contact: http://www.injersey.com/observer/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1212 Author: Matt Porio BENEFIT ENDS WITH 10 ARRESTS 'Safe, Drug-Free' Benefit Concert Ends With Arrests For Drug Possession And Assault On Police Officers. Billed by town officials as a safe, drug- and alcohol-free night of entertainment for local teenagers, Friday night's benefit concert at the Township Activity Center turned violent and ended in 10 arrests -- including one for drug possession, authorities said. Police said four adults and five juveniles were arrested, some for aggravated assault on police officers, after several of those in attendance became disorderly when police shut down the event, which they felt had begun to get out of hand. A 14-year old was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer; a 17-year old was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest; a 16-year old was charged with failure to disperse, resisting arrest and aggravated assault on a police officer and two other juveniles were charged with disorderly conduct, Brick Township police Sgt. Donald Ling said yesterday. Keith Beagin, 18; Thomas Bartnicki, 19; Rachel Fondi, 18 and Angelina Thoman, 18, all of Brick, were charged with disorderly conduct, Ling said. In addition, 18-year-old Michael Murphy, of Toms River, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at the event, which was sponsored by the Brick Municipal Alliance Committee on Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Youth Services; the Brick Youth Club; and a student organization run by the School-Based Youth Services Program of Brick Memorial High School. Lt. John Rein, of the Brick Township Police Department, said four officers originally went to the event at 9 p.m. to respond to a first aid call, which was handled with no problem. He said that once on the scene, private security guards advised them that intense moshing (a violent type of dancing) at the 250-person event was leading to numerous small fights. Officers stayed at the event to monitor the situation, Rein said, and escorted a few of the more disorderly attendees out. However, as the scene grew worse, backup was called -- with 10 officers eventually at the Chambers Bridge Road facility -- and the event was shut down. Rein said that as officers were trying to clear the building, the crowd became increasingly disorderly, with several cursing and yelling. He said the rest of the crowd began to disperse without any other major incidents. The event, a fund-raiser for New Jersey's Safe Haven for Infants program, was sponsored, in part, by a grant from the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin