128 arrests during Weekend 1 and 142 arrests during Weekend 2 of the annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival officially brings the total up to 270, a 34-person or 15% increase over last year’s total.
According to local news station KMIR, like the first weekend, most of the arrests on the second weekend had to do with “possession and intoxication involving drugs and/or alcohol.”
The pickpocketing problem continued during the second weekend. Unfortunately, only two people were arrested on suspicion of robbery, which happened to be “the only violent crime arrests made over the two-weekend stretch.”
Indio police Sgt. Daniel Marshall said that “misdemeanor drug arrests rose during the second festival weekend, but alcohol-related arrests decreased.” It seems that minors were able to get the message after so many were detained the first weekend for underage drinking. Despite a focus on increased enforcement of alcohol possession by minors, Marshall said those arrests saw a drop-off during the second weekend.
Forty-six minors were arrested for alleged alcohol possession during the first weekend, while 13 were arrested during the second.
Another incident involving police over the weekend stemmed from a fight that broke out Sunday morning among members of the festival’s security staff.
According to KMIR, two men ended up stabbed and one was beaten, with all sustaining non-life threatening injuries.
No arrests have been made yet in connection with the fight. Detectives are still looking for further tips about the altercation. Anyone with information was told to share it by calling (760) 391-4057.
17 arrests were made for public intoxication
86 arrests were related to illegal possession of a controlled substance
—–81 of those arrests were for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance
——5 of those arrests were for felony possession of a controlled substance for sales
35 arrests were made for alcohol related violations
2 arrests were made for robbery
1 arrest were made for resisting/obstructing a peace officer
1 arrest was made for a vehicle code violation
via KMIR
