Owner Says Bar Denied Teens Alcohol Earlier
A high-speed rollover crash near 208th & West Dodge Rd. Monday night leaves family and friends mourning the loss of a teen, while others are wondering what could’ve prevented this accident. Police say 18-year-old Jacob Dickmeyer and Colby Burke were drunk when they crashed. Dickmeyer lost his life.
"We did a lot of stupid things and never really had any consequences. I guess it just caught up with us,” said Colby Burke, the passenger in the fatal accident.
Court documents say the two had been drinking at the Fire Barn Bar & Grill in Waterloo, and they were served by a friend, 20-year-old Amanda Heiman.
Steve Franson, co-owner of the bar, says the teens were in around 4 on Sunday when a server refused to give them alcoholic drinks. They came back after 10 pm, so Heiman would serve them while the other bartender served a party. He said the teens then left driving Heiman's car. Franson says they make all their servers take Responsible Beverage Service Training through the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission but isn't required by the state. He said Heiman received her certificate for the training last week.
"We harp on our employees not only not to serve minors but not to over serve customers,” Franson explained. "We know that there's that temptation there for kids and we try to keep them from that temptation, and the last thing we want is for something like this to happen and now we're forced to deal with it."
The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The NE Liquor Control Commission says they don’t have too many problems with underage servers but it is a concern.
"The commission has been very strong over the last 10 years about trying to professionalize the industry. About trying to make sure people know this is a job. You're not a bartender to have fun, you're there because that's your job," said Hobert Rupe, the Executive Director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
If the bar is found in violation, they could have their liquor license suspended, cancelled, or revoked.
Douglas county attorney Don Kleine says he's waiting for more information from investigators before deciding if charges are needed.
We tried to speak with the server at her house Thursday, but she wasn’t home. She no longer works at the restaurant and bar in Waterloo.
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