FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — The city of Fond du Lac is looking into disciplinary action against a gas station convenience store.
Prosecutors said the clerk Sanju Paudel sold alcohol to two teenagers without checking identification hours before they died in an alcohol-related car crash.Paudel is facing up to 20 years behind bars. And now, the store itself is being reprimanded.
At a city of Fond du Lac's alcohol licensing meeting, committee members discussed a settlement with Fond du Lac Express Mart— the convenience store at a Shell Gas Station.
Prosecutors say 27-year-old Paudell sold alcohol at the store to two sixteen-year-olds without checking their ids.
Hours later, those teens crashed into a tree at high speed and died from their injuries. Autopsies show they both had alcohol in their systems at the time of the crash.
The alcohol licensing committee is looking into the store as a result of this case.
"Under our demerit system, there was 80 points just for selling to a minor and then there's 150 point enhancer when there's death or injury. So it, that's a significant amount of points and under our system. Once you have over 200 points, you're gonna get at least the suspension or revocation of license,” City Attorney Deb Hoffman said.
Hoffman said the city reached a settlement with Fond du Lac Express that includes a 90-day suspension of their liquor license.
Committee member Jane Ricchio initially raised a concern over this penalty. Hoffman replied that this is a stringent penalty in relation to other punitive measures.
Eventually, the resolution passed unanimously and it will be referred to the city council.
“At first glance, a 90 day suspension doesn't seem serious enough to me, but that's only one part of it. That's only about the license. It doesn't preclude any other criminal charges or anything,” Ricchio said.
Paudel will make another court appearance on June 2.
