By Donna Westfall – December 12, 2016 – Is 9th and J Streets cursed or does it have anything to do with having a liquor store there? Early in the afternoon, a two car motor vehicle accident occurred. Is it that people are drunk and driving? If not, what is it? Impatient to get their booze? Does it have anything to do with alcohol at all?
Residents are aware that minor’s come around wanting adults to purchase cigarettes or alcohol for them because it’s illegal for retailers to sell to them. Actually, the law changed this past year and became effective on June 9, 2016; and the minimum age to sell tobacco was raised from 18 to 21 years old which is also the legal age to purchase, consume or possess alcohol. The accident information didn’t reveal any underage persons involved.
According to Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC), some of the rules and regulations regarding the sale of who cannot purchase alcohol fall into these categories:
- Can not sell to obviously intoxicated person, habitual or common drunkard. This is a person that lacks the will to refuse drink, or received a 647 f (drunk in public) three times withing a 6 month period, or has been deemed by the court as a habitual drunkard, or a person who can not care for, or provide shelter for themselves.
- Can not sell to a customer who is obviously intoxicated when an average person can plainly observe that the patron is intoxicated. The usual signs are staggering, alcoholic breath, slurred speech, poor muscular coordination, etc. (Section 25602)
According to one witness that lives in the neighborhood who wishes to remain unnamed, “The driver of the Honda in this photo said she rear-ended a driver turning into the liquor store. I spoke to her and she was sober and did not look to be under the influence of anything.” The witness also stated that he did not see the second car involved.
Is this traffic accident caused because a traffic hazard exists due to the liquor store, or is it because drivers are driving too close and cannot stop in time?
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