CULLMAN – All in all, the Cullman Police Department is happy after this weekend’s 2-day Rock the South festival. A total of 52 arrests were made, and close to 200 people were ejected, according to Incident Commander, Lt. Jeff Warnke.
“When you think about it, in one night, we had double the population of the city of Cullman inside Heritage Park, plus the lightning and storms and evacuation, with close to 70,000 people,” said Warnke. “I think all in all, it went well. When you consider there were close to 70,000 people there over two nights, and there were only 52 arrests, that’s less than one-tenth of a percent.”
The CPD had “all hands on deck,” said Warnke, and they were aided by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, who sent about 40 deputies, approximately 16 Alabama State Troopers, members of the Hanceville Police Department and a number of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control enforcement officers. Also on-hand were four juvenile probation officers. In total, close to 140 law enforcement personnel worked the event.
“We are deeply indebted to all of them for assisting us,” said Warnke. “There’s no way we could handle it by ourselves.”
Warnke says that of the 52 arrests, ABC officers made 23. “Every one of the arrests we made were related to alcohol,” he said.
Charges included an array of alcohol-related offenses, including public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, minor in possession/consumption of alcoholic beverages and possession of a forged instrument (fake IDs). There were also two marijuana charges.
The most serious incident of the weekend involved an adult male, age 19, and a juvenile female.
“Officers observed an illicit sexual act between and an adult male and an underage female,” said Warnke. “They immediately acted upon that. They took the male into custody and the female met with one of the juvenile probation officers on the scene. Her parents picked her up.”
Police reports identify the male as Dakota A. Saint of Lexington. He was charged with second-degree sodomy, public intoxication, indecent exposure and second-degree possession of a forged instrument.
Warnke could not comment on whether the acts involved in the incident were consensual in nature. “The investigation is ongoing,” he said.
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