Montgomery County, PA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2009

 

 

 

 

   

  

    Kathleen Tompkins                    Daniel McIntyre

 

   

 

   

 

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and Abington Township Police Chief William J. Kelly have obtained arrest warrants for Kathleen TOMPKINS (DOB 5/5/64) and Daniel McINTYRE (DOB 6/1/59).  The charges arise from an underage drinking party TOMPKINS and McINTYRE hosted on February 27, 2009 for 30 to 50 children between 14 and 16 years of age at TOMPKINS’ Abington home.

On Friday, February 27, 2009 Detective Robert Allmond of the Abington Township Police Department learned of an underage drinking party planned for that evening.  The student reportedly hosting the party was Ryan Spause who resides at 942 Woodcrest Avenue in the Jenkintown section of Abington Township.  The Abington Police Department also received anonymous calls on the Abington TIPS Line providing the same information regarding the party. The Abington Police Department’s evening shift supervisor was notified of the impending party.
 

At 2030 hours, Abington Police Officer Obst was patrolling the 900 block of Woodcrest Avenue and spoke to an adult male in front of 942 Woodcrest Ave. who identified himself as “John Riff”.  Officer Obst explained police were aware of a planned underage drinking party at the house.  Riff told Officer Obst there were a few kids inside the house watching a movie but nothing else significant was occurring.

At 2308 hours, Officer Obst stopped a juvenile walking on Woodcrest Ave. The juvenile admitted to drinking an alcoholic beverage at 942 Woodcrest Avenue. The juvenile was taken into custody and transported to Abington Police Dept for his parents to pick him up. Abington Police Sergeant Fayette went to 942 Woodcrest Ave and was met at the front door by Kathleen Marie TOMPKINS.  She explained a few kids were inside watching a movie. Sgt. Fayette told TOMPKINS that he would like to speak with the kids in the house. TOMPKINS allowed Sgt. Fayette inside the home where Sgt. Fayette observed 12 juveniles in the living room and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage in the air. Portable breath tests were administered to the juveniles and indicated they had consumed an alcoholic beverage. The juveniles were all either 14 or 15 years old. TOMPKINS’ son, Ryan Spause, showed Sgt. Fayette the basement which was littered with beer cups and an empty keg of Natural Light beer.  While officers were at the house one of the juveniles became violently ill and was incoherent on a chair in the living room. The student was transported to Abington Hospital by ambulance for treatment.  TOMPKINS identified the man that spoke with Officer Obst on the front lawn as her ex-boyfriend, Dan McINTYRE (DOB 6/1/59), not John Riff.  TOMPKINS explained she is still friends with McINTYRE.

Several juveniles who were present at the party gave statements to police.  According to the statements, before the party started, TOMPKINS was downstairs in the basement arranging chairs and hanging coverings over the basement windows to prevent anyone from seeing inside. Once the drinking began she remained in the kitchen for most of the party and provided red plastic cups to many of the juveniles who filled these cups from the keg downstairs in the basement.  Attendees reported 30 to 50 students were in attendance and most of them were under the age of 16.

The juveniles further explained when the police arrived at the house the first time (approximately 2030 hrs) TOMPKINS instructed her son to have everyone go to the basement and be quiet. In addition, she told him to turn the lights out in the basement while McINTYRE was outside speaking with the police.  When McINTYRE came back inside he said he gave the police a fake name, John Riff, and the police left.  The juveniles knew McINTYRE as “Shades”.  They said Shades came down into the basement to fix the beer keg because the students pumped the tap too much causing it to only pour foam. Shades ran off the foam/beer into an empty 2 liter soda bottle and cups that the youths were holding.  Many of the youths were drinking beer in front of Shades while he was downstairs fixing the keg.  The children in the basement reported Shades took the 2 liter beer-filled bottle upstairs.

Several juveniles reported they were drinking at the kitchen table while TOMPKINS was cleaning and doing dishes in the kitchen.  Some of the children were refilling their cups in the kitchen with beer from the 2 liter bottle that Shades filled with foam/beer from the keg.  One juvenile reported TOMPKINS was cleaning up and picked up his cup which was half-filled with beer and asked if I was finished with it yet.  Another juvenile explained he spilled some beer on the kitchen floor and TOMPKINS was present as he cleaned it up.

TOMPKINS has been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Corruption of Minors and Furnishing Alcohol to Minors.  McINTYRE has been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Corruption of Minors, Furnishing Alcohol to Minors and False Identification to Law Enforcement.  Assistant District Attorney Todd Stephens will prosecute the case.

 

      Approved for Release:

 

      Risa Vetri Ferman