Orange County farm owner charged after dozens of complaints about large party

Orange County 911 took about 75 calls about a huge, outdoor party off Mill Creek Road on May 2. Now the owner of that property is facing charges of allowing underage drinking.

Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents served warrants on the owner of Smokehouse Valley Farm, Dwight B. Poole, 60. 

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said, “Attendees parked along both sides of the road, blocking the flow of traffic. They obstructed driveways, left automobiles in the yards of neighboring property owners, and intoxicated individuals wandered between vehicles snarled in traffic. Many partygoers were underage, and people drove away from the event despite being significantly under the influence of intoxicating substances. Others were so impaired they passed out along the roadway. Responding law enforcement officers and medical first responders had great difficulty reaching those in need of assistance. In my opinion, this gathering was of such a size and scope that the overall risk to attendees, community residents, and first responders was alarmingly high. I am grateful to ALE and the State Highway patrol for assisting us.”

Over the course of about six hours on the night of May 2, more than 25 officers -- from Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Carrboro police, EMS units and area fire companies -- responded to the farm. Several people were taken to area hospitals.

WRAL Investigates has been reporting on large college parties that cause issues for neighbors in Orange and Durham counties.

Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said, "The potential here for significant bodily injury, even death, is really high." He pointed to incidents that "have ranged from significant trauma – falling off of a U-Haul truck, for example – to alcohol poisoning."

Saunders said that the parties are not confined to one particular location, but rather various farms throughout Orange County. He believes many of the partiers are students from Duke University, and that fraternities rent the fields and organize the events.

Blackwood and Saunders explained that rented buses bring students to the parties, but sometimes the students miss the return trip.

"They’ll start out by walking up the highway intoxicated in and out of traffic, and they’ll end up ultimately on somebody’s doorstep banging on their door at 3 a.m., and that’s never a good thing," Blackwood said. 

Saunders and Blackwood said they hope to educate the landowners of the legal risks involved in hosting these parties.