An unidentified man was arrested inside Park City’s High West Saloon during a packed CAA party amid the Sundance Film Festival.
In keeping with a well-placed source, the person presumably crashed the party — he was not on the RSVP list nor was he known to be a guest of a confirmed attendee — by sneaking in through an alternate entrance. On the time, CAA was hosting its annual festival party at the favored Park City hotspot to kick off the festival’s first weekend and rejoice independent film and the agency’s talent.
Around midnight, the person went into the restroom where he allegedly began causing a disturbance in a racially-charged scene that shocked other men using the facilities at the identical time. The person, described as caucasian, allegedly stated how proud he was to be “white.” The tense moment continued as the person then exited the restroom and allegedly punched an individual of color within the face. Security is alleged to have intervened quickly to detain the person until police arrived.
Reached Saturday morning, Park City Police confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that a person was arrested at High West Saloon following an incident. They’d not comment on any charges he’s facing or his identity. A representative from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office also declined to comment on the fees but confirmed that a person remains to be behind bars as of Saturday afternoon.
Park City Police have a powerful presence around the town, especially on Important Street and nearby locations, including High West, which is situated on a outstanding corner of Park Avenue. The establishment has many floors, private rooms and shut corridors, and it is known that the alleged assault was an isolated and discreet incident that didn’t disrupt the festivities. Because CAA bought out the restaurant, it’s likely that many guests had no knowledge that police were on the scene. The agency’s events are long known to be tightly controlled with strict invite lists.
THR also reached out to High West for comment but an worker declined to supply details and said it’s policy to not comment on private events.
The Sundance Film Festival runs through Feb. 1. It’s a milestone 12 months for the festival because it marks the ultimate Sundance in Park City, Utah before it moves to a brand new home in Boulder, Colorado. Arrests are nothing latest to Park City during Sundance. In a recent interview with The Park Record, Dave Edmunds reflected on his 20-plus years as the previous sheriff of Summit County and onetime Park City police officer. “It was pure insanity,” Edmunds told the publication after retiring from the force to work in a family business. “It was as debauched and as crazy a scene within the late-Nineties, 2000s, as I’ve ever seen or heard of in law enforcement.”