26 People Cited in Wild Underage Drinking Party in which Police were Assaulted

Four adults were arrested and 22 people cited after officers were assaulted while breaking up a party Saturday in Damascus where more than 30 underage youths were drinking, police said.

Montgomery County police released the details of the bizarre incident Monday.

In addition to the arrests, 22 party guests where charged with alcohol-related offenses and civil citations.

Just before midnight, Montgomery County police and sheriff’s deputies arrived at a house party in the 9400 block of Damascus Road, where they saw youths drinking in the yard and a keg at the base of an outside stairwell to a basement—where 35 people were drinking, according to a press release.

Police, who were denied access to the home, tried to seize the keg outside.

Someone then tried to grab several cases of beer, spurring a scuffle, police said. A party attendee slammed the basement door on the police officer’s arms and another police officer was also assaulted by a homeowner, police said.

At the same time, noise inside the house grew—with people banging on glass, yelling insults and videotaping the incident, police said.

On Monday, police released images of the four adults who were charged:

• George Magas, 54, was charged with attempting to remove a firearm from the possession of a deputy sheriff; attempting to incite a riot; 3 counts of second-degree Assault; obstructing and hindering a police officer; and 22 counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
• Cathy Magas, 46, was charged with second-degree assault; obstructing and hindering a police officer; 22 counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
• Nicholas Magas, 21, attempting to incite a riot; obstructing and hindering a police officer; 22 counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
• Eric Magas, 18, second-degree assault; attempting to incite a riot; obstructing and hindering a police officer; 22 counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor; possession of Fake ID to obtain alcohol; possessing more than one drivers license at any one time; knowingly and fraudulently obtaining license by misrepresentation; three counts of possessing a fictitious license. 

Police said the bust was a result of a Holiday Season Task Force multi-agency effort that focuses on underage drinking and impaired driving. The Task Force began the night before Thanksgiving and ended Sunday.