Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2006
Source: Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN)
Copyright: 2006 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Rachel Stults
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

BONNAROO DRUG ARRESTS DOWN 50%, SHERIFF SAYS

MANCHESTER, Tenn. -- Despite the obvious presence of drugs such as 
marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and Ecstasy at Bonnaroo this 
year, drug arrests and citations were down 50 percent as of Sunday 
afternoon, Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves said.

Arrests totaled 76 for all the law-enforcement agencies working the 
area, and the Coffee County Sheriff's Department had issued just over 
100 citations. Most of the charges were drug-related, Graves said, 
but the quantity of drugs found at Bonnaroo this year was nowhere 
near what has been found in recent years.

"It's a good thing," Graves said. "So far, everything went better 
than expected."

But Bonnaroo fans aren't quick to believe that drugs use has dropped 
significantly.

"I'm high right now," said Earl Carter, 26, of Pasadena, Md., jokingly.

Brad Mitchell, 24, also of Pasadena, Md., said quantities of 
marijuana may be down, but harder drugs are still making the rounds.

"I'm gonna tell you what's really true," Mitchell said. "It's easier 
to get hard drugs in because it doesn't stink and they're smaller. 
You can get whatever you want here."

Some "Roonies" acknowledged that security has tightened -- and noted 
that "there are undercover cops dressed like hippies everywhere" -- 
but said that has only led to an increase in underground drug sales.

"People are more quiet about it, and quiet about selling it," said 
Christy Walsh, 23, of Culpepper, Va. "Instead of running around 
screaming that they've got drugs, they're selling to their friends or 
people they know. It's less advertised, but it's still there."

Drug-traffic control may have been more successful this year, but the 
event wasn't all smooth sailing.

Joshua Overall, 21, of Hamilton, Ohio, was killed when he walked in 
front of bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs' tour bus near the Bonnaroo 
festival site Friday night.

Overall, who was wearing a Bonnaroo wristband, climbed over a 
chain-link right-of-way fence and walked into westbound traffic on 
Interstate 24 when he was struck by the bus, according to Tennessee 
Department of Safety officials. On Thursday night, an unidentified 
man fell after he climbed, naked, up the scaffolding of a stage 
during a performance of the band Dios (Malos) and was airlifted to 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Bonnaroo officials said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman