SYRACUSE — Indiana Conservation Officers arrested 18 minors for illegal possession and consumption of alcohol on the Lake Wawasee Sandbar yesterday, July 2, evening.

Officers received a complaint of a large party on the sandbar with several teenage persons consuming alcohol. ICOs Maher and Whitehead responded and observed several violations on five boats tied together. Additional conservation officers responded and detained multiple underage suspects.

Nathan Schrock, 19, Middlebury; Luann Fry, 19, Topeka; Daron Lehman, 20, Millersburg; Juvenile Male. 17, Topeka; Juvenile Female, 16, Shipshewana; Earl Miller, 18, Topeka; Curtis Lambright, 18, Shipshewana; Gerald Bontrager, 19, Topeka; Juvenile Male, 17, Lagrange; Juvenile Female, 17, Shipshewana; Juvenile Male, 17, Lagrange; Jeremy Yoder, 18, Millersburg; Brian Lambright, 18, Shipshewana; Robert Kuhns, 20, Etna Green; Karen Yoder, 19, Topeka; Benjamin Mullet, 20, Shipshewana; Juvenile Male, 17, Millersburg; and Joe Beechy, 18, Middlebury all face charges of illegal possession and consumption of alcohol under the age of 21.

They were arrested, issued summons and released to guardians.

ICOs were participating in, “Operation Dry Water,” a national awareness campaign. Alcohol contributes to over half of Indiana boating related fatalities. Never operate a motorboat under the influence of alcohol and always wear a US Coast Guard approved personal floatation device.

An arrest does not determine guilt. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.