Arrests up, fewer EMS responses for Morristown parade

MORRISTOWN - With nearly perfect weather attracting a huge crowd Saturday to the annual Morristown St. Patrick's Day Parade, related arrests and cited violations in town increased over last year's chilly, rain-soaked event.

But police made fewer arrests and issued fewer summonses than the last sunny St. Pat's parade here, two years ago in 2014, according to a report issued Monday by the Morristown Police Department.

Lt. Stuart Greer reported 20 arrests during the operational period between 7 a.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Sunday. Only 16 arrests were made last year, while 29 arrests were made during the similar period in 2014.

One arrest was made for aggravated assault, while seven more were made for simple assault and one for resisting arrest.

Cited violations also increased this year — 59 in all, including 12 citations for urinating in public — compared to 30 citations in 2015, only eight of them for public urination. This year's citation total also topped the 2014 total of 34 and the 2013 total of 52, but represents a large decrease from a recent peak of 135 summonses handed out in 2011. That year, 88 summonses were issued for drinking in public, and another 45 for urinating in public.

The largest number of summonses this year were for drinking in public/open container — 44, compared to 19 in 2015.

SEE ALSO: Hyland clan leads Morristown St. Patrick's Day parade 

The parade is billed as an alcohol-free event, but Morristown bars, taverns and restaurants typically entertain large crowds on parade day, including some morning imbibers at establishments like Sona Thirteen on South Street, which was open and offering live music by 10 a.m.

Police did not offer a guess on attendance, which has been estimated in the past as exceeding 70,000 people, although last year's estimate was closer to 10,000. With sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s, the crowd was thick lining the parade route along South Street and the Green. A few veteran parade observers said this year's crowd rivaled some of the largest in their memory.

Emergency medical responders in Morristown also had a busy day, with 22 EMS responses and 14 people transported to hospitals. But those figures were down from 2015, when 25 EMS responses resulted in 18 people transported to the hospital.

The majority of the patients treated by EMS — 12 — were for intoxication.

EMS response came from volunteers staffing Morristown Emergency Medical Services and the BLA and ALS units from the Atlantic Ambulance Corp.

Police also handled 3 vehicle crashes and at least one incident of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. No information was available about any of the victims of vehicle crashes or medical emergencies.

SEE PHOTOS: Morris County 38th annual Morris County St Patricks Day Parade 

The complete rundown of arrests, citations and emergency responses this year is as follow:

Arrest information
• Disorderly Conduct: 6
• Defiant Trespassing: 3
• Simple Assault: 7
• Aggravated Assault: 1
• Underage Possession of Alcohol: 4
• Resisting Arrest:1
• Possession of CDS: 1
• Possession of Fraudulent ID: 1
Total Number of Custodial Arrests: 20
(Note: Some arrested parties had multiple charges)

Local ordinance violation information
• Urinating in Public: 12
• Drinking in Public / Open Container: 44
• Soliciting without a License: 2
• Littering in Public: 1
Total Number of Violations: 59

Total number of Motor Vehicle Crashes: 8

Emergency medical service activity 
• Intoxicated Person: 12
• Fall Victim: 2
• Assault Victim: 3
• Medical Emergency: 1
• Pedestrian Struck: 1
• Other / Unspecified: 2
• Patients Transported to Hospitals: 14

Total Number of EMS Responses: 22

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.