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Botetourt County deputies gave several students breathalyzer tests at the Lord Botetourt/ Northside game on October 31.

"Several people at the game smelled alcohol in a group of students," the Sheriff's Office said today. "Those people went to the gate where one of our deputies was working. The deputy walked through the crowd of students and also smelled alcohol. He called for back-up and they did administer breathalyzer tests to several students who all blew a 0. However, one of those students did tell the deputies that the offenders walked away before the deputies came to do the test."

"Underage drinking is illegal. A student that could have left the stadium and been involved in a DUI accident would be far worse," said Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle. "Our deputies are obligated by law to investigate reports of under age drinking."

Kathy Sullivan of Buchanan is the RAYSAC (Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Council) coordinator in the Roanoke Valley, and when told about the incident by the Botetourt View she replied: "I want to remind the public that underage drinking is a problem among teens today. I would think it is better to know if your child is an underage drinker than not. Due to several public meetings in Botetourt County we have had about underage drinking, it seems to me that the officers are being more proactive in their pursuit of possible violators. Teen drinking is dangerous to the youthful offender as well as the general population. Teens are much more likely to binge drink and also to develop alcohol addiction. Parents need to be more proactive about talking to their children about this very issue."

RAYSAC sent the picture of the brain wave activity difference in a drinking and non drinking teen male's brain.