Thousands of teenagers, a remote location, plenty of alcohol, lots of trucks and cars, maybe some illegal drugs - what could possibly go wrong?
Partying in a pasture is a practice surely as old as humanity itself, but it's only recently that social media allowed people - in this case, teenagers - to facilitate the convergence of thousands on a single spot.
That's what happened in southeastern Van Zandt County, according to a report by Tyler based KLTV. The party, called Project Beall 3, was promoted on Twitter through the hashtag #PB3. Law enforcement officials estimated 3,000-5,000 people attended the gathering outside the small town of Ben Wheeler, KLTV said.
The party happened on June 14-15, but reports in Tyler-area media began appearing this morning.
"We found many, many liquor bottles," Van Zandt County Constable Pat Jordan told KLTV. "We found many, many beer cans. We found that potpourri that people smoke, K2 type substances. We found condoms on the ground. We found packages of those cigarillos that they use for blunts, loading them up with marijuana. Just hundred of those type of items on the ground."
The initial law enforcement response consisted of two Van Zandt County officers, the report said.
"We had no idea what we were going into," Deputy Bob Keltner told KLTV.
Promoters charged $5 for entry, despite having no permit and no toilets, the report said.
The incident is now under investigation by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Texas Comptroller's office, according to the report.
