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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- While underage drinking is a problem across the United States, several Ottumwa students received a rude awakening of its danger earlier this week.

Authorities said a teenager was hospitalized after drinking too much with friends at a park.

Wapello County Deputy Sheriff Chris Shadduck said authorities found seven teenagers when they responded to a call about a car accident at Camp Arrowhead Park on Tuesday.

Deputies found two girls unconscious, and one was taken to the hospital.

Shadduck said it appears seven Ottumwa High School students skipped school, stole a bottle of a gin and drank it at the park.

He says when the teens realized that two of the girls had too much to drink, another teen tried to get help but crashed the car. They then went to a house and called authorities.

Ottumwa Police Chief Jim Clark said they have a zero tolerance policy for underage drinking, and this is not an isolated incident.

“I can look at our own data and that tells me underage drinking is out of control here in our community. Our arrests, that’s one of the highest number of arrests we make of any charge is for underage persons possessing alcohol,” Clark said.

Clark said minors possessing alcohol can be charged up to $300 plus court costs. If under 18, they will be taken to juvenile court.

“Our youths need to understand that drinking isn’t just a game or isn’t just something everyone does. It’s a dangerous behavior and parents need to recognize it is a dangerous behavior that they should not be allowing their children to do,” Clark said.

Clark said we need to start with parents doing proper parenting, and that means no alcohol at all.

“We almost had several of our teens die this past week from consuming alcohol. That should start waking up people in the community that we have a problem and it needs to be addressed,” Clark said.