Authorities have temporarily suspended the alcohol license of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Menifee after state investigators and the local police department determined a minor was served alcohol at the business shortly before being involved in a crash.
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) suspended the restaurant’s license for 25 days, beginning Feb. 17 through March 14 at the location on Haun Road.
According to ABC officials, the action stems from an incident on Nov. 20, 2023, when a minor was served three alcoholic beverages.
The Menifee Police Department reported that the accident occurred around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Menifee Road and Camino Cristal, less than two miles from the restaurant.
Officers arriving at the crash scene found a Hyundai that had been driven by a 64-year-old man and a Nissan Altima occupied by a 17-year-old girl and a 23-year-old man, who was found after having been ejected from the car.
Police said the driver of the Nissan lost control and went into oncoming traffic, eventually crashing with the Hyundai.
Both men were critically injured while the teen sustained major injuries in the collision, authorities said.
State ABC investigators alongside Menifee police conducted a Target Responsibility for Alcohol Connected Emergencies or “TRACE” investigation and determined the minor had obtained the alcohol at the restaurant.
The TRACE Protocol was created in the spring of 2004 when a diverse group of law enforcement agencies, including the ABC, stakeholder groups, and individuals, sought to address the growing problem of youth access to alcohol, according to the state agency.
“Restricting alcohol access for minors is critical to preventing incidents of this nature,” ABC Director Paul Tupy said in a statement. “Licensees must uphold their responsibility to serve lawfully and refrain from providing alcohol to underage individuals.”
When asked, a representative of BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse sent the following statement to NBCLA:
“We take this situation, our responsibility to serve alcohol, and our guests’ and team members’ safety seriously. At the time of the incident, in November 2023, we conducted a thorough investigation and took immediate action. We’ve always followed industry best practices and continue to reinforce robust training on laws and policies to ensure proper procedures are consistently upheld when serving alcoholic beverages with a zero tolerance policy for any violation.”