Members of men’s lacrosse team facing legal trouble

 

Five players from the University of Vermont’s men’s lacrosse team have been charged with underage drinking at a party on Sept. 5 was broken up by police at 239 ½ Main St.

Twenty-year-old Max Gradinger, Christopher Hall and Geogrey Worley as well as 21-year-old Harris Middel and Liam Thomas hosted the 70 to 100-person party, according to a press release from the Vermont Department of Liquor Control (VDLC).

The hosts “claim the party started between 7 and 8 p.m.,” and had two kegs.

The release states that at midnight on Sept. 5, “the Burlington Police made contact with the residents to discuss ordinance issues.”

This did not prevent the party from occurring the following night.

Sophomore and women’s hockey player Channing Ahbe was among those in attendance at the party as well as those that fled the scene upon the police’s arrival.

“After police had broken up the party Abhe attempted to take a shortcut home through a quarry and fell after attempting to climb some rocks,” the release stated.

Given the seriousness of the incident with Abhe, and the prior warning the police had issued to the residents, the department investigated the incident further, issuing citations for each resident to appear in the Chittenden Country Court on Oct. 13 “to answer the charge of enabling consumption by minors,” the VLDC said.

Worley, a redshirt-sophomore on the team, was second on the team in scoring last year with 38 points and third on the team with 18 goals.

Hall, a junior, was on the 2007-2008 America East Academic Honor Roll.

The University’s Athletic Communications declined to comment.