UM student arrested for noisy Orono party

ORONO – Police officials arrested a University of Maine student early Sunday morning after he failed to disperse more than 150 people who were at his Pond Street residence for a party.

Ryan White, 21, was arrested for disorderly conduct around 12:30 a.m. The arrest was the result of two noise complaints made by neighbors about the party at White’s apartment at 11 Pond St.

The first noise complaint brought Orono police to the residence around 11:15 p.m. Saturday. A large group of people was gathered outside the building, and one of the apartments was filled with people, according to a report by Officer Willy King.

The people outside and the music inside the apartment were both loud, King said.

Upon approaching the apartment, King and Officer Scott Wilcox spoke with White and advised him of the noise complaint and told him that if there were a second complaint, he would be arrested for disorderly conduct. White declined help in closing down the party.

The second noise complaint came at 12:30 p.m. and King, Wilcox and Officer Travis Erickson returned to the apartment and arrested White after finding the noise level as loud as before.

Three additional officers from the Old Town Police Department were called in to help disperse the “disorderly crowd” and to silence partygoers who were yelling in the street, King said.

Firecrackers and snowballs were thrown at Officer Erickson, although no charges were filed in the matter.

White was taken to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, where he made bail of $200 around 3 a.m. His court date is Jan. 10.

Police officials notified the property owner, David Ekelund, who indicated he would act on the matter, according to Police Chief Robert O’Halloran.

Ekelund, who lives in Cape Elizabeth, couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.