Crime & Safety

Girl's Death Could Cost Liquor Store's License

The Douglasville City Council is reviewing the license because teens are believed to have purchased alcohol there before a fatal crash.

is under investigation for possibly selling alcohol to minors Feb. 19, the night 16-year-old Cheyenne Sauls of Villa Rica was killed in an alcohol-related car accident

The store remains open, but the owner, Rakeshbhaim “Rocky” Patel, is forbidden from selling alcohol himself, Suzan Littlefield, Douglasville's chief assistant city attorney, told the City Council at Thursday's meeting. 

Minors allegedly purchased alcohol at his store, contributing to the accident. Now, Patel, a top city official, two 17-year-olds and a 21-year-old face charges.

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Richard Todd McAllister, Douglasville's chief code enforcement officer, remains on paid administrative leave after he was arrested and charged with five counts of furnishing alcohol to minors. McAllister was allegedly present when minors (including his 17-year-old son, Justin) were drinking at his home during a bonfire at 4241 Sterling Pointe Drive. Justin McAllister was also arrested and charged with purchasing alcohol.

Jason Lark, 17, was the driver in the wreck that killed Sauls. He is charged with vehicular homicide, according to Deputy Chief Stan Copeland of the .

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Dustin Lee Willis, 21, was also in the vehicle and later charged with being a party to vehicular homicide and furnishing alcohol to minors. Willis was denied bond and is being held in the Douglas County Jail, Copeland said.

Willis “was in the presence of the intoxicated minors and let them drive on numerous occasions throughout the night,” Copeland said. “He let them drive while they were under the influence, even though he’s 21 and Lark was 17. He may have tried to clean up the evidence after the crime.”

Patel is charged with furnishing alcohol to minors. He has been released on a $10,000 bond, Copeland said.

The Douglasville City Council will review Patel’s license to sell alcohol at a meeting Monday night. If the council does not reach a verdict, a hearing will be held in two weeks.

“We’re cooperating fully with the Douglasville City Council, looking at (Patel’s) alcohol license," Copeland said. "But that’s up to the city.” 

For now, Patel “will not be in the store or exercise any management duties,” Littlefield said.


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