BJ's Restaurant in Menifee accused of serving minor alcohol before violent crash
A BJ's Restaurant in Menifee has been banned from selling alcohol after state investigators found that its staff served a minor alcoholic drinks before a violent crash in 2023.
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the license of BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse at 30208 Haun Road in Menifee for 25 days, beginning on Feb. 17, 2026.
The state agency said the violent crash happened on Nov. 20, 2023, in Menifee and resulted in serious injuries for the minor, an adult passenger and another driver.
"Restricting alcohol access for minors is critical to preventing incidents of this nature," said ABC Director Paul Tupy. "Licensees must uphold their responsibility to serve lawfully and refrain from providing alcohol to underage individuals."
State agents and Menifee investigators determined that a server at the BJ's Restaurant served the minor three alcoholic beverages before the minor started driving.
"We take this situation, our responsibility to serve alcohol, and our guests' and team members' safety seriously. At the time of the incident, in November 2023, we conducted a thorough investigation and took immediate action," BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse said in a statement. "We've always followed industry best practices and continue to reinforce robust training on laws and policies to ensure proper procedures are consistently upheld when serving alcoholic beverages with a zero tolerance policy for any violation."
The ABC said the Target Responsibility for Alcohol Connected Emergencies, or TRACE, investigation was made possible because of a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The grant allows ABC agents to investigate alcohol-related incidents that involve a person under the age of 21 and cause great bodily injury or death. It also allows TRACE investigations if anyone is charged with vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, regardless of age.
