His family’s farm home is what James Taylor calls his party house. And party is exactly what he and more than 2,000 others did over the weekend.
The home has been in Taylor’s family for 100 years. Saturday night it became “the place” to be in west Michigan.
Taylor said the party started out as a birthday party for a friend, but it quickly grew into a massive gathering.
“People could have been laying out in my yard dead this morning,” said Taylor in an interview with FOX 17. “I’m glad the police were here and the ambulances.”
The party had all the trappings of Las Vegas with two DJs, a fire thrower, go-go dancers and strippers.
Taylor said the house got so crowded people couldn’t move from one room to the other. Floor boards shook from the extra weight.
As for how people got word of the party, Taylor said his address was given out around 4 p.m. on Saturday.
“I guess someone drove all day during the party day from Tampa all the way to here just to come to this party,” Taylor said.
As for reports of drug overdoses, Taylor said “I didn’t force anything down anyone’s throat. I didn’t make anyone stay here until 7 a.m. or 11 a.m. or whenever it is that everyone finally left. I didn’t make this kid pass out on my floor. People wanted to be here. That was their decision.”
The Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office said many of the people who attended Taylor’s party were under the age of 21. Six over doses were reported and one 19-year-old woman reported being sexually assaulted.
When FOX 17 asked Taylor what Taylor would say to people who think he’s responsible, he said, “I am. It’s my house. You got to deal with it afterwards, but apparently it was worth it.”
Taylor denies being aware that anyone at the party was underage and said their parents should be held accountable.
“Any time you point at someone, you got three fingers pointing back at you,” he said. “And if you are a parent that’s got a 14-year-old child that’s been able to be at my house all night, and according to the police there was a lot of them here. So, I think some parents should do some reflections on their parenting before they start getting mad at me.”
Taylor added, “I feel like anybody that’s got a real problem with me partying out here in the middle of nowhere is a spaz.”
Taylor said that he offered let all 2,000 party goers stay the night at his place so no one drove intoxicated.
As for any possible charges, Taylor said that he’s expecting to be contacted by sheriff’s deputies in the next couple of days. He said that he will face the music and take responsibility for anything he’s done that was criminal.