Two Dead, Over 80 Arrested After Rowdy N.J. Concert

Two Dead, Over 80 Arrested After Rowdy N.J. Concert

Two Dead, Over 80 Arrested After Rowdy N.J. Concert
WNBC-TV
Updated: 11:18 a.m. ET Aug 17, 2007
NEW YORK - Two people are dead, 83 were arrested and drinking in the parking lot has been banned following an unruly concert at the PNC Bank Arts center on Thursday night, police said. WNBC.com's Brian Thompson has learned that Raymond Guarino, 26, died Thursday night at Bayshore Hospital. Guarino, of Forked River, N.J., had to be resuscitated in the PNC Bark Arts center parking lot shortly after 3:15 p.m. on Thursday before being transported to the hospital.

New Jersey state troopers received information that Guarino had injested cocaine, marijuana and alcohol prior to the incident. Troopers searched the vehicle he arrived in and discovered small amounts of both drugs in the vehicle.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause and manner of death, and whether the presence of drugs is detected.

According to police, another concertgoer, Patrick Norris, 24, of Coram, N.Y., passed out at the concert around 10 p.m. and was transported to Bayshore in cardiac arrest. He was declared dead in the hospital. Police said he had also injested cocaine, marijuana and alcohol before and during the show.

Drinking alcohol in the parking lot of the PNC Arts Center will be banned starting with Friday night's Velvet Revolver concert.

Patrons were previously allowed to bring their own alcohol and tailgate in the parking lot.

New jersey Turnpike Authority officials, who own the amphitheater in Holmdel, said the drinking ban is permanent.

A free Ozzfest concert on Thursday resulted in a larger than usual crowd, to big for the 17,000 seat outdoor amphitheater to accomodate. There were 83 arrests made by New Jersey state police on a variety of drug related and drinking charges, one of the highest totals so far this summer. Fifty-nine of the arrests were for underage drinking. Eighteen juveniles, some as young as 15-years-old, were among those arrested.

Authorities launched a crackdown on drinking after the season's first show in May because 13 young patrons had to be taken to hospitals with alcohol-related illnesses. The youngest was 11 years old. More than 90 patrons were arrested at the O.A.R concert on Saturday and 54 people were arrest at the Incubus show last Friday. Officials said there have been over 300 arrests at the concert venue this week alone.