A party promoter who allegedly violated physical distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic by hosting a widely advertised house party in Glendora is facing $1,450 in fines, police said Sunday.
The promoter goes by the handle @iamkingbell on Instagram. A post made Sunday morning shows crowds of people packed into a building, many of them not wearing facial coverings.
The “100 Summers Mansion Party” was scheduled for Saturday night, beginning at 8 p.m., and featured musical guest BlueBucksClan, according to a link posted on the Instagram page. It’s the same event Glendora police said was held that night at 1120 E. Sierra Madre.
The party host, who authorities have not identified, ended the party just past midnight while police were preparing to issue another citation. The $1,450 in fines he’s facing includes a $1,000 citation for hosting a gathering in conflict with the county’s health order related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to police, neighbors had already contacted police and city officials about the party earlier in the day before it happened. The party featured pre-sale tickets and off-site shuttle transportation and was planned inside a home police say has been featured on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb, vacationrenter.com and VRBO.
In a news release, the Glendora Police Department said it has responded to several calls at the home for “loud parties, littering, parking and unsafe vehicle use.”
Hours before the event, city employees worked throughout the day Saturday trying to reach the party promoter and the homeowner to warn them against violating the county’s health order by going through with the party, according to police.
“The party promoter disregarded City staff and held the event knowingly violating the administrative city permit process and the health department order,” police said in the news release.
Officers responded to the location once it was clear the party was not being canceled, police said.
In addition to the fines, one person was arrested on a misdemeanor bench warrant, five partygoers got tickets for vehicle code violations, one car was impounded and 19 parking tickets were issued.
But police have indicated there could be more potential penalties or fines against not just the party promoter but also the homeowner.
“Although we were limited by certain legal requirements at the time of this event, the City of Glendora will be pursuing administrative fines, fees and potential litigation against both the party host and the homeowner,” Interim Police Chief Matt Egan said in the news release.
In the same statement from police, Glendora Mayor Michael Allawos described the house party as a “flagrant disregard for the sanctity of this neighborhood.” He also promised more potential legal action against those involved.
“The City is working closely with our partners to ensure issues like this one do not occur again as well as looking into untapped legal tools,” Allawos said.
