By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
PLUMSTED — The mother of a New Egypt Middle School student was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for causing a ruckus at her son’s graduation after her ex-husband arrived with his girlfriend, police said.
Police said Suzette Morton, 31, of New Egypt, smelled of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated when police arrived at the New Egypt High School gym where the middle school graduation was taking place on June 15.
Ms. Morton approached the responding officers and claimed she had a restraining order prohibiting her ex-husband from bringing his girlfriend to the event, police said. Ms. Morton then ran to the top of the bleachers “yelling and cursing at the girlfriend,” according to Plumsted police statement about the incident.
When the officers asked Ms. Morton to come outside and discuss the matter with them she became “combative and uncooperative” and was placed under arrest, the statement said. Once outside the gym, Ms. Morton “continued to yell and scream,” according to the police statement.
Patrolman Frank Murphy, one of three officers at the scene, said in a phone interview the next day that the disturbance in the bleachers during the graduation ceremony was brief.
”We got her out of there as quickly as we could,” Patrolman Murphy said.
At police headquarters afterward, Ms. Morton told police she was having an asthma attack. The First Aid Squad was summoned, but Ms. Morton remained “belligerent” with police and “uncooperative” with EMS, the police statement said. She did not need to be transported to the hospital, police said.
Municipal Court Judge Daniel Sahin set Ms. Morton’s bail at $15,000 with a 10 percent option on the disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges. Ms. Morton posted bail and was released pending her court date.
