APPLETON — Responding to an anonymous complaint around 11 p.m. Saturday that there was a large party at a gravel pit off Collinstown Road in Appleton, Knox County Sheriff’s deputies summonsed 16 minors for alcohol offenses and towed three vehicles from the scene.

In a press release Monday, Chief Deputy Tim Carroll said that deputies estimated seeing approximately 50 people around a bonfire in the pit as they drove in.

“Many people ran for the woods as [law enforcement] arrived,” said Carroll.

Approximately 30 people stayed at the scene, and of those 10 juveniles were summonsed for illegal possession of liquor by a minor and one juvenile was summonsed for possession of tobacco.

Four minor adults were also summonsed for illegal possession of liquor by a minor, including Jade Snider, 19, of Union, Angela Hickman, 19, of Rockland, Alexis Stone, 18, of Rockland and Matthew Leigh, 19, of Washington.

Of the remaining group that stayed, Carroll said that those of legal age were identified and allowed to leave along with the others after deputies identified sober drivers. The three vehicles were towed from the property after nobody was identified as operators.

In the press release, Carroll said, “Knox County Sheriff's Office has obtained grant monies to help combat underage drinking and operating under the influence laws as summer winds down and into the next season. Working with other local law enforcement agencies there will be continued efforts of additional personnel randomly patrolling, and concentrated efforts of sobriety checkpoints throughout the county in the coming months. Our ultimate goal is to check many and find nothing for violations to ensure the safety of our youth and our roadways.”

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com and 706-6655