RICHMOND — A local teen is back at home a day after he was found passed out and suffering alcohol poisoning on Front Street.

The 15-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital Wednesday night where he was treated for poisoning and hypothermia, said Richmond Police Chief Scott MacMaster. Tests at the hospital indicated the boy had a blood alcohol content of .25 and a core body temperature of 95 degrees. The teen spent the night at the hospital and was released, MacMaster said.

“He’s doing fine,” the chief said. “He’s very lucky.”

The investigation has thus far led to charges against two Richmond teens, MacMaster said. A 17-year-old Richmond girl is charged with supplying alcohol to a minor and theft. A 16-year-old boy is charged with possession of alcohol by consumption.

MacMaster said additional charges are possible, including against the 15-year-old.

Richmond Police Sgt. Adam Garland was called to Front Street around 8:35 p.m., after a passerby found the teen unconscious in a ditch along Front Street. The teen was bleeding from the nose and had scratches on his back, MacMaster said.

Advertisement

Responders initially believed the teen was suffering from alcohol poisoning, but that diagnosis was only confirmed when the teen underwent testing at the hospital, MacMaster said. Garland initially wondered if the teen had been hit by a car, but police have since ruled out that possibility.

“We weren’t sure exactly what was going on,” MacMaster said.

Garland, who spoke to the teen’s mother before paramedics arrived, later learned that the boy had been drinking with a few other teens at a home on Hatch Street. The teen was found about a half mile from his home.

“The thought at this point is he was walking home,” MacMaster said.

Police are unsure how long the teen laid in the ditch. The friends began drinking on Hatch Street around 6 p.m., MacMaster said.

The scrapes on the teen’s back were likely caused by falling into the ditch, MacMaster said. He is unsure why the teen had a nose bleed, but part of the ongoing investigation is an effort to determine if he was assaulted.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.