Pismo Beach police catch 3 businesses selling alcohol to minors in sting operation
Three store clerks face fines and community service after selling alcohol to minors during a sting operation by the Pismo Beach Police Department, the agency said in a news release.
The agency sent out “minor decoys” to 10 different liquor licensees in Pismo Beach. It didn’t identify any of the businesses who were included in the sting.
“Conducting these operations allows us to help reduce underage drinking and increase public safety,” Pismo Beach Police Sgt. Anthony Hernandez said in the release.
Only three clerks sold alcohol to the minor decoy, the release said, and now they face a minimum $250 fine and 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.
The Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control may also take action against the businesses where the clerks worked, the release said, which may include a fine and suspension or permanent revocation of the liquor license.
“Businesses should always check IDs before selling alcohol,” Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control director Joseph McCullough said in the release. “Preventing access to people not old enough to legally purchase alcohol improves safety on our roadways and in our communities.”
About a quarter of fatal crashes involve an underage drinking driver, according to a 2022 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In 2021, the report said, 27% of young drivers 15 to 20 years old who were killed in crashes had blood-alcohol content levels of .01 or higher. That’s a fraction of the .08 legal limit to drive, but still unlawful for minors.
The highest percentage of drunken drivers with BACs of .08 or higher were the 21-to 24-year-old age group and 25-to-34-year old age groups, the report said. Men are most likely to be involved in this type of crash, with four male drunken drivers for every female drunken driver.
This story was originally published December 19, 2023 at 3:15 PM.
