ABC Commission OK’s La Res Penalty

The state Alcohol Beverage Control Commission finalized its punishment against La Residence on Wednesday.

La Res will have its alcohol permits suspended for at least two weeks, according to an offer in compromise that was ratified by the state regulatory board, for its role in the fatal wrong-way crash on I-85 in July.

Records show that 20-year-old Chandler Kania and other underage patrons visited La Res and He’s Not Here where they were served alcohol in July. Later that night, Kania drove the wrong-way on I-85 for at least six miles before crashing head on into another vehicle, killing three of the four passengers – including a six-year-old girl.

La Res can pay a $5,000 fine and incur a 14-day suspension of its alcohol permits. If the restaurant chooses not to pay the fine, the suspension would last 50 days.

The decision was reached at the ABC Commission’s November meeting after an initial offer in compromise, which consisted of the maximum $5,000 fine but no suspension, was rejected by the board in October.

Board Chair James Gardner says he would like the General Assembly to look at increasing the maximum fine allowed in these cases.

“I think they clearly understand that any bar operation can make that back, basically, over a weekend,” he says. “Yes, it will be something I would hope they would look at.”

He’s Not Here was given an offer in compromise to forfeit all alcohol permits, for which they would be able to reapply. The owners did not agree to that proposal and will have their case heard before an administrative law judge in late January. If the judge rules against He’s Not Here, the bar will have its alcohol permits stripped and the owners will not be able to reapply for permits for at least three years, according to ABC spokesperson Agnes Stevens.

If La Res chooses to pay the $5,000 fine before December 11, the suspension would begin on December 18 and the restaurant and bar would be able to serve alcohol again beginning at seven o’clock the morning on January 1, 2016.

Kania is currently under house arrest at his parent’s home in Asheboro awaiting trial on three counts of second-degree murder, among other charges related to the crash.