North Lindenhurst man charged with violating social host law, police say
A 22-year-old North Lindenhurst man was arrested at his home following a Saturday night house party during which a 15-year-old boy became ill from alcohol consumption, Suffolk County police said.
First Precinct officers were called to a Fourth Street home just before 10:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 complaint of excessive noise and possible underage drinking. Police estimated there were 50 people at the party. Several teenagers fled when authorities arrived, police said, but officers found a highly intoxicated 15-year-old boy inside the home. The teenager was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for treatment.
Police charged Rocky Falsitta, who is not related to the teen and lives at the home with his parents and a teenage nephew, with violating the social host law. He was issued a field appearance ticket and released. He is scheduled to be arraigned in November.
Falsitta’s father, Vincent Falsitta, 63, said it was his teenage grandson who hosted the party, not his 22-year-old son who was sleeping and was not aware of what was happening. The older Falsitta said he was out with his wife at the time and that he was not aware of the party, either.
“He [Rocky] was sleeping in his room and he didn’t hear no party going,” Vincent Falsitta said, adding that his son will fight the charges. “He’s getting blamed for something he didn’t do.”
Falsitta expressed regret that a teen got sick during the party and said his grandson would be disciplined by his father.
“I’m sorry that happened,” he said of the teen.
The Suffolk County Social Host Law states that “it shall be unlawful for any person over the age of 18 who owns, rents, or otherwise controls a private residence to knowingly allow the consumption of alcohol or alcoholic beverages by any minor on such premises or to fail to take reasonable corrective action upon learning of the consumption of alcohol or alcoholic beverages by any minor on such premises.”
A first offense is punishable by a fine not to exceed $500. For second and subsequent offenses, violators face a fine not to exceed $1,000, a term of imprisonment not to exceed 1 year, or both.
Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.
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