LOS ANGELES – On December 21, 2022, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced that it revoked the license of Kyoto Sushi in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles after the restaurant furnished alcohol to a 20-year-old employee. The employee left the restaurant and was involved in a deadly crash that killed a 12-year-old and 16-year-old passenger in another vehicle.

ABC opened a Target Responsibility for Alcohol Connected Emergencies (TRACE) investigation immediately after the crash to find out the source of the alcohol that was consumed by the underage driver.

Following the investigation, ABC agents determined that the manager of Kyoto Sushi and a server furnished alcoholic beverages to 20-year-old Jungwon “Hailey” Kang. Her blood alcohol level was between .15 percent and .17 percent, according to tests taken at the scene of the crash. The legal limit for drivers 21 and older is .08 percent.

ABC sought disciplinary action against Kyoto Sushi’s alcoholic beverage license for furnishing alcohol to a minor and furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor causing great bodily injury or death. The licensee agreed to a revocation of the license following these accusations. A criminal case is also under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“Serving or furnishing alcohol to someone under 21 years of age is not a harmless act, it is against the law and can lead to deadly consequences as seen in this particular case,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.