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Liquor board finds Johansen's Dining House culpable in underage‑sale; $300 fine imposed
Summary
After hearing inspector testimony and manager admissions that a vertical ID was misread, the Carroll County Liquor Board found Johansen's Dining House culpable of serving a 20‑year‑old and assessed a $300 fine; the manager agreed to diversion training.
The Carroll County Liquor Board found the licensee of Johansen's Dining House culpable of selling alcohol to a person under 21 and assessed a $300 fine.
An inspector told the board an underage volunteer was sent into the establishment; the server, Jane Evans, asked to see ID and the manager, Sarah Redding, reviewed the document. The inspector said the manager misread the license and mistakenly believed the volunteer was of age; the volunteer was then served. The manager reviewed the volunteer’s license on a staff phone after the inspector arrived and conceded the birth year was 2027, not 2025 as she initially read.
Manager Sarah Redding told the board she had previously attended alcohol‑awareness training and said she would complete the diversion program required by the board. The inspector said the manager is trained and described the mistake as an error of interpretation while handling multiple tasks.
Several commissioners discussed the establishment’s long history and the change in its vertical‑ID policy, which some said might have contributed to the error. Board members acknowledged the licensee’s long, generally clean record but emphasized that licensees and managers bear responsibility for staff actions that lead to underage service.
After discussion, a motion to find the licensee culpable passed; the board imposed a $300 fine, payable within 30 days, and directed that the manager complete the diversion program noted in the inspector’s report.
