For the second time in recent weeks, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has suspended a Yolo County business’ liquor license due to disorderly conduct on its premises, including a homicide.
Kenny’s Bar & Grill, 721 East St. in Woodland, was the scene of a stabbing death on Dec. 5, when Jeffrey Lemus allegedly knifed Kelly Mason Choate during an altercation between the two men.
The bar also has been the source of “ongoing disorderly operation” from January 2014 to December 2015 that required Woodland police to take action for incidents such as fights, assaults, public intoxication and disturbing the peace, according to an ABC news release issued Wednesday.
Kenny’s is prohibited from serving or selling alcohol for 30 days, and its liquor license will remain on probation for two years, ABC officials said. The state agency also could revoke the license permanently should any disorderly conduct occur during the probationary period.
Bar owner Kenny Kinser said in a Facebook post that the business will be closed for the next month, reopening “with a fresh outlook for 2016.”
“Things have gotten out of control. The worst being a stabbing that resulted in a man losing his life. We do not condone this behavior,” Kinser wrote. “We are going to take this time to make improvements and make Kenny’s a safe environment for all.”
He added: “It has also come to our attention that the daughter and wife of the man who passed away have been harassed for being the cause of us shutting down. This is not true. Please do not harass them, let them continue to grieve and heal from this tragedy.”
Lemus, who is charged with murder and use of a deadly weapon, is scheduled to stand trial in May.
The move by ABC comes just over a month after the agency imposed a 30-day liquor license suspension at KetMoRee Thai Restaurant & Bar at Third and G streets in Davis. The suspension was lifted last Saturday.
ABC officials also cited “ongoing disorderly conduct” as the trigger for the suspension, including the Sept. 19, 2015, stabbing death of Los Angeles college student Peter Gonzales during the restaurant’s nightclub operation.
Six suspects are in custody in connection with Gonzales’ death, which police and prosecutors had described as involving criminal street gang activity. A preliminary hearing in the case is set for early May.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene