45°
Ian Drebes, 20, and 18-year-old Jonathan Rothschild were ejected from Drebes’s vehicle after he lost control of it around 2 a.m. June 28, 2011 on a road in Vineland.
Toxicology tests found that Drebes had a blood-alcohol level of .157% and Rothschild .162%. Both were carrying fake IDs that showed them over 21, police said.
The ABC found the licensees of Kashmir in Vineland — David Glassman and Jack Paik — guilty of two counts each of serving alcohol to a person under the legal age and serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person.
Kashmir’s license will be revoked as of Sept. 5 and Paik must divest his interest in any other ABC license by Aug. 6, 2014. The Division also ordered that the premises of Kashmir be barred from being the site of any future liquor license for two years.
“Kashmir failed to meet the most important and fundamental obligations of all liquor licensees,” said state ABC Director Michael Halfacre. “Neither of those young men should have been allowed to set foot into the premises because they were not of age, and no person can be served alcohol when they appear intoxicated.”
According to testimony from Rothschild’s girlfriend, Mandy Caudill, both men drank a lot hours earlier at Taylor’s Grill and Bar in Williamstown.
Around midnight, the two men began arguing in Taylor’s parking lot as they were leaving the establishment but agreed to meet up later at Kashmir, she said.
As he was leaving Taylor’s, Drebes backed his car into a truck in a parking spot, Caudill said. He then drove away alone in his vehicle after making a cursory examination of the damage, she said.
Rothschild was driven by Caudill because he was too drunk to drive.
The ABC is currently prosecuting Taylor’s for serving alcohol to the two underage men.
The trio then met up at Kashmir at around 12:30 a.m. Kashmir’s bouncer checked Drebes’ bogus identification but didn’t check Caudill’s or Rothschild’s, the ABC found.
Rothschild and Drebes each consumed five or six drinks during the next hour and a half — including beer, mixed drinks and tequila shots.
All three left the bar around 2 a.m.
A witness reported that Caudill “pleaded” with Drebes and Rothschild not to drive because they both appeared drunk.
But Drebes drove off with Rothschild in the passenger seat “like a bat out of hell . . . tires squealing,” a witness said. Caudill followed the men in her car and was at the accident scene, where both were pronounced dead.
“This horrific episode should serve as a wake up call to all our licensees and encourage them to get back to fundamental responsibilities of owning a liquor license,” Halfacre said.
“Licensees need to check identification to make sure that those trying to gain access to their establishment or trying to order a drink are old enough to do so,” he said. “They also must be aware of how much their patrons are drinking – licensees have a responsibility to ensure no one is over served.”
“Every licensee should view this as an opportunity to review their policies and procedures with their staff to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.”
Halfacre said.
after leaving the establishment.
Vineland “go-go” bar Kashmir
lost control of his vehicle
According to the police reports cited in the Division’s ruling, Jonathan Rothschild, 18, of Clayton, and Ian Drebes, 20, of Franklinville, were killed when Drebes lost control of his vehicle and both were ejected from the car on Weymouth Avenue in Vineland around 2 a.m. on June 28, 2011.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Garfield-Lodi and receive free news updates.
