By By Fredie Carmichael/The Meridian Star
Nov. 25, 2001
Nine teen-agers were arrested around 12:30 a.m. Saturday by the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department and charged with underage consumption of alcohol.
The arrests came after a routine traffic stop of the teen-agers' sports utility vehicle.
White said the arrests were among the first since the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors voted in July to adopt an ordinance that prohibits anyone under 21 from drinking alcoholic beverages.
State law prohibits public drunkenness and underage possession of alcohol, but not underage consumption. County supervisors voted 5-0 in July to forbid anyone under 21 from consuming alcohol.
Meridian has had a similar ordinance in place in 1982.
The county ordinance requires the Justice Court to hand out a form at the time young adults are arrested for drinking alcohol. If they don't violate the law again within one year, they can use the form to strike the charge from their record all without an attorney.
Fredie Carmichael is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3228, or e-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.