Open house party leads to Cape Coral teen’s arrest

Author: wink news
Published:
MGN

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A teenager is under arrest after police say an open house party got out of hand.

Derek Jeunegens, 18, is facing charges for resisting arrest.

On Saturday around midnight, Cape Coral Police responded to a home on the 2000 block of NW 9th Street, on a loud noise complaint.

The responding officer found that an open house party was in progress. Many cars were parked on the street and party-goers, many of which police say were underage, were walking to and from the house and cars.  Music could be heard from several houses away.

As the officer arrived, party-goers fled into the house, closed the garage door, and turned off the lights. The officer attempted to make contact at the front door, but even after several attempts at knocking no one came to the door, but the officer could hear yelling inside the home. While standing close to the home, the officer could smell burnt cannabis coming from the area of the garage.

As the officer walked back towards the driveway he was met by a man claiming to be the homeowner but refusing to identify himself. Officials later identified him as Jeunegens.

As the officer was attempting to investigate the noise complaint and what appeared to be an open house party, Jeunegens was uncooperative, demanding that the officer leave unless he “had a warrant.”

Authorities say Jeunegens became verbally abusive and belligerent toward the officer. When the officer attempted to detain Jeunegens, a struggle ensued. Jeunegens repeatedly pulled away and actively physically resisted the officer’s attempts to secure him in handcuffs, despite repeated verbal commands to stop.

During the struggle, Jeunegens slipped out of his jacket to evade the officer. Once free, Jeunegens struck the officer in the throat and attempted to flee into the home.

The officer deployed his taser, subduing Jeunegens temporarily.

At this point, a large crowd had gathered in the driveway area and in the yard. Many of the subjects were yelling profanities and threats at the officer.

Jeunegens continued being verbally abusive toward the officer and would not comply with the officer’s orders to stay on the ground so he was tased a second time.

Someone from the crowd threw a beer bottle at the officer, striking him in the head. The gathering crowd shifted closer and individuals began making overt threats to harm the officer, some going so far as to remove their shirts and assume aggressive postures.

Jeunegens continued to be verbally abusive toward the officer and refused to comply with the officer’s directions to stay on the ground, resulting in a third application of the taser. After he fell to the ground again, the sirens of approaching police vehicles became audible. The crowd heard the sirens of responding backup units and started yelling at each other to run. Most of the crowd fled the scene before additional officers arrived.

Jeunegens was secured in handcuffs. He was positively identified by his ID card in his wallet.

Additional officers arrived and checked the residence and made contact with neighbors. Neighbors from two different addresses provided sworn written statements regarding the party and noise.

Jeunegens was placed under arrest and transported first to CCPD and then to Lee County Jail. He was charged with resisting without violence, resisting with violence, and with battery.

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