Vineland house party draws hundreds, leads to assault charges, towing

A noise complaint on East Oak Road turned into a major public-safety response when Vineland police found several hundred people at an unpermitted house party on the 2100 block of East Oak Road. Officers dealt with parking problems, congestion and other violations before towing four vehicles and issuing numerous citations.

Police said the arrest of Amy R. Smith, 40, of Phillipsburg, escalated the situation further. Smith was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest after officers said she was receiving treatment from Vineland EMS and became combative, struck an officer and bit the officer. She was taken to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland and later lodged in Cumberland County Jail pending a court hearing.

Police identified the homeowner as Markedia M. Davis and said Davis received multiple summonses tied to the gathering. Those violations included noise, lack of proper bathrooms, litter on and outside the property, no permit for the party, unlawful distribution of alcohol, failure to obtain a food-handling permit, failure to establish a traffic plan, maintaining a disorderly household and harboring disorderly persons.

Investigators said the party had been promoted on social media and that a cover charge was collected by a promoter. One report said police were dispatched to 2135 E. Oak Road, and property records list that address as owned by Markedia Marcus Davis. The case remained under investigation by Vineland police and other city agencies, with more ordinance violations still possible.

The response also put a spotlight on how Vineland handles large neighborhood gatherings before they spill beyond one property. Police said they support residents’ ability to hold gatherings and events, but large functions require permits and the department takes a zero-tolerance approach when an event affects nearby residents’ quality of life.