Six students who attended a dance Saturday night at Suttons Bay were caught with alcohol on their breath, with two issued tickets.

According to superintendent Mike Murray, a school official became suspicious when two students attending the dance left for the parking lot. He smelled alcohol on their breath, and asked them to take him to their car where some empty beer containers were found.

Eventually, high school principal Raphael Rittenhouse located the owner of the car and three more students who had been drinking. Two State Police troopers responded to a call to administer breathalyzer tests.

Five of the students attend Leland Public School, and one attends Glen Lake. Parents of the students were asked to pick up their children, and appropriate high school principals and athletic directors were notified, Murray said.

Two students registered high enough levels of alcohol to be ticketed, according to Lt. Bill Elliott, Traverse City post commander. Alcohol levels were barely detectable in other students.

One of those students who was not charged was the son of Leelanau County prosecutor Joseph Hubbell. His test showed a blood level of .003 percent alcohol. The level for drunk driving is .080 percent or higher. However, under the state’s “no tolerance” law, minors are not allowed to drink anyalcohol.

Elliott said troopers did not press charges against some minors, including the Prosecutor’s son, because trace indicators on tests are difficult to prove in court. “You could probably gargle with mouthwash and have less than a .003 reading,”said Elliott.

Hubbell sought to assure his son did not receive special treatment by requesting in an email sent Monday that the state Attorney General’s office appoint a special prosecutor who could issue a ticket — a request that was denied.

“The officer is right,” replied Kim Eddie with the Attorney General’s office, in an email reply to Hubbell. “He does have discretion to write a ticket or not, and I agree with the post commander that you are imposing a different standard on your son than on the other child that was not issued a ticket due to the (low breathalyzer) level … If this matter were directed to me I would go with the officer who apparently without knowledge of your son’s relationship exercised independent judgment …”

Hubbell is the husband of Leelanau Enterprise news editor Amy Hubbell.