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Mother, daughter arrested at loud drinking party

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Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 10:39 PM
Sydney Spies
Denise ‘Miki’Spies

Sydney Spies, the former Durango High School student who gained international attention for her submission of a racy yearbook photo, was arrested early Monday in Durango, along with her mother.

Spies, 18, is suspected of obstructing a police officer, a misdemeanor. She was released early Monday from the La Plata County Jail on $500 bail.

Her mother, Denise “Miki” Spies, 45, was arrested on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor — a felony, and obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest — both misdemeanors. She was released early Monday on $10,000 bail.

Miki Spies declined to comment on her arrest.

Police said “numerous” underage partygoers were drinking alcohol when they arrived about 11:20 p.m. Sunday at 1102 Oak Drive in northeast Durango.

Upon seeing police, several partygoers jumped a chain-link fence in the backyard and fled up a steep hill behind the house.

Miki Spies, who owns the house, was at home at the time, police said. Police said there was a keg of beer, bottles of liquor and numerous red plastic cups filled with alcoholic beverages.

Police continue to investigate who bought the alcohol, but when an adult provides a location for minors to drink, it is a crime, said Sgt. Geary Parsons, with the Durango Police Department.

Miki Spies refused to give her name, identification and date of birth, according to police reports. She attempted to “herd the crowd of partygoers into her house,” according to a report by officer Darrell Robertson.

Police attempted to detain her for questioning, but she “broke into a full sprint for her front door,” according to an incident report.

Police chased her into the house and into her bedroom. She was arrested after a brief struggle, Parsons said.

Her actions prevented officers from detaining minors who had not yet fled the scene, Robertson wrote in his report.

Sydney Spies attempted to block a police officer from entering the house, Parsons said.

She also pulled and tugged against officers when they tried to place her in handcuffs, he said. She refused to walk on her own to a police car, where she was placed in the back seat. She later unbuckled the seat belt and attempted to jump out, Parsons said.

“She nearly kicked me in the groin,” officer Robertson wrote in his report.

Sydney Spies made headlines in January by protesting the omission of a photo she submitted of herself wearing a short yellow skirt with a black shawl that exposed her shoulders and midsection for the high school yearbook. Student editors deemed it too racy.

Spies and her mother were invited to New York City to appear on the “Today Show,” where Spies called the photo “artistic.”

A few months after the controversy, Spies announced she landed a small role in a forthcoming SyFy channel movie titled “American Horror House.” The movie is scheduled to air on Halloween.

Miki Spies was also arrested June 24 on suspicion of trespassing, resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer.

In that case, Miki Spies is accused of trespassing at River Church, 860 Plymouth Drive. Someone reported that Spies and another woman were being loud and refusing to leave the playground, which is on private property, according to an arrest affidavit.

After being handcuffed, Miki Spies struggled against officers, according to the affidavit. She went limp and refused to walk to the police vehicle. She accused police of misconduct and repeatedly demanded to speak with her lawyer, according to an arrest affidavit.

“She claimed that the only reason I arrested her was because she was a lesbian and that she had never been arrested before,” the officer wrote in his affidavit.

The officer said her eyes were glassy and her behavior was consistent with someone under the influence of alcohol.

Miki Spies remained uncooperative at the jail and was placed into a padded room for noncompliant detainees.

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