This story was originally aired by Carolina Connection, the UNC student radio newscast from the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, on March 23, 2024. 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com airs Carolina Connection on Saturday mornings, and partners with student reporting to publish select stories.


Written by NOAH POWELL

 

Early on January 21, UNC sophomore Mary Rotunda was killed in a car crash on North Carolina Highway 54. Rotunda was in the car along with two other people, who both survived the crash. Police say the car was traveling 120 miles per hour when the driver, sophomore Flemeeja Brewer, lost control. Police have charged Brewer with driving while impaired, and a state Alcohol Law Enforcement investigation concluded that Rotunda and Brewer were served alcohol at multiple Chapel Hill bars, even though both were underage.

A 2022 National Institute of Health study found that 5.8 million people younger than 21 said they drank “more than a few sips” of alcohol in the past month. And, as Carolina Connection found, many underage UNC students have put some work into figuring out how – and where – they can get away with drinking.

This UNC student’s ID is from Maryland, but he has only been there one time. It looks totally legit: barcode on the back, picture on the front. Real name, fake birthday.

“I’m almost 21, and so for the longest time, I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just wait it out. I don’t really see the point,'” says the student, whose name was withheld because owning a fake ID is illegal. “And then a few of my friends started getting fakes, and they were just going to do a bulk order, because that’s pretty typical for fakes. And they were like, ‘Hey, if you want to tack on, you’re welcome to.’ I thought about it for a bit and decided, ‘Yeah, what the hell.'”

“If a lot of my friends are going to be going to bars and having fun,” he adds, “basically just being 21 a year before they actually turn 21, then I don’t want to miss out on that.”

For a lot students, the idea of being 21 a bit early is pretty enticing. But what is involved in getting a fake ID? This student was part of a friend’s online bulk order. They uploaded their names and photos, and paid $50 per person. But then, how did they pick the state?

“They normally try to keep it from the East Coast because it’s more believable,” says the UNC student. “So, the surrounding area. The one thing that they never do is North Carolina because everyone knows how to spot a North Carolina license because it’s what they’re most used to dealing with.”

The student says most places in Chapel Hill accept the fake ID. And sometimes, he is not asked for an ID at all. He says that’s happened at Tarheel Station, a convenience store on East Franklin Street downtown. If a business sells alcohol without even asking for an ID, that can be especially problematic.

Tarheel Station manager Jennifer Woodall says the store was cited by Alcohol Law Enforcement a few months ago.

“In the past, yes, there have been issues with no carding,” she says. “Since I’ve been there, I’ve been making sure anybody that’s new that comes in, they get told to card. I’m willing to admit it that right before Christmas, the cops were testing and they brought in a kid that looked exactly like one of my customers. [He was a] doppelganger, could have been his twin. I’ve carded this kid a thousand times. The one time I didn’t card him, he was 17.

“So yes, I got a ticket,” says Woodall. “I took responsibility. Now, I don’t care if you don’t have your ID — you’re not getting anything because I made that mistake once. It’s not going to happen again.”

After the fatal crash, an ALE investigation found the students were served alcohol at two Franklin Street businesses: Still Life and Might As Well — colloquially known as MAW. The state ABC commission will determine their punishments, which may include revoking their liquor licenses.

The UNC student with the fake ID says news of the ALE investigation has changed his behavior.

“I mean, MAW and Still [Life] are staples of Chapel Hill, especially for people with fakes,” he says. “MAW is notorious for being just the bar that takes fakes. So, when all that came out, everyone that I knew with a fake or that goes to MAW is very apprehensive about going.

“Me, personally, I’m not going back there,” he adds.

Carolina Connection reached out to the management of Still Life and Might As Well by email, and also visited the businesses to ask for a response. Neither was willing to comment.

The legal consequences of underage drinking aren’t the only risk. The National Institute of Health says the younger a person starts drinking, the higher their likelihood of alcoholism. Alcohol also can affect brain development which continues into a person’s 20s.

Samantha Luu is the Director of the Chapel Hill Campus and Community Coalition, focused on underage and excessive drinking.

“This tragic collision highlights the wide ranging impact of high-risk alcohol use,” Luu says, “and the many points along the way where there could have been intervention and thus need for broad community collaboration on this large issue. Underage drinking is potentially dangerous to the person who’s underage drinking, as well as the people and community around them.”

The ALE says its investigation is ongoing. Ten people — including six UNC students — are facing charges related to the accident. Two of the students are Still Life employees accused of providing alcohol to underage people.


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