Liquor board fines Ketchy Pizza $400 after underage‑sale finding

The Carroll County Liquor Board on a violation hearing found Ketchy Pizza (Ketchy 1 LLC) culpable of selling alcohol to a person under 21 and of failing to maintain required alcohol‑awareness training for staff, and imposed a combined fine of $400.

Inspector Bill Ledley told the commission that on Dec. 17, 2025, an underage volunteer went into the restaurant and was served a bottle of Corona by an employee identified as Bridal Wickerson without being asked for identification. Ledley said the volunteer was 19 and that Wickerson and at least one other employee were not certified in the county’s alcohol‑awareness training at the time of the incident. Ledley submitted the compliance report and related documents into evidence.

Owner Dogan Salas addressed the board, apologized and said the service failure stemmed from staffing and training gaps during the restaurant’s first year. Salas said staff subsequently completed alcohol‑awareness certification and that the business has implemented other training measures.

After questioning from commissioners about staffing levels, prior compliance checks (two successful checks before the incident), and the training program, the board moved to find the licensee culpable. The commission adopted a motion to assess a $300 fine for the underage sale and a separate $100 fine for the training noncompliance, for a total of $400. The fine must be paid within 30 days of official written notice of the board’s action.

The board recorded the violation and urged the licensee to maintain consistent staffing and training practices to prevent recurrence. No further enforcement actions were announced at the meeting.

The hearing record remains part of the board’s files; the licensee may be subject to higher fines for any future violations.