Following a fatal underage crash earlier this month, a St. Paul’s convenience store clerk and a juvenile have been criminally charged.
On the evening of Saturday, May 7, North Carolina State Highway Patrol (SHP) responded to a single-vehicle crash in Lumberton. The 17-year-old female driver and only occupant was killed. SHP contacted ALE after alcoholic beverages were located inside the vehicle the night of the crash.
Through the course of the ALE investigation, special agents determined a male 17-year-old purchased malt beverages from Happy Mart #5, located at 19369 US-301, St. Pauls, then sold them to the underage driver.
The 17-year-old male was identified as a fellow classmate of the driver and was found in possession of a handgun, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana. He admitted to possessing the weapon at school, purchasing the alcoholic beverages from the Happy Mart #5, then selling them to the underage driver.
A juvenile petition was secured for felony possession of a handgun by a juvenile on school grounds, aggravated possession of marijuana, possess drug paraphernalia, underage possession of alcoholic beverages, aid and abet an underage person, and selling alcoholic beverages without a permit.
The clerk, Ameer Mohamed Sal Alhobishi, 19, of St. Pauls, was charged with selling malt beverages to an underage person, selling tobacco to an underage person, aid and abet an underage person, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and allowing unlawful conduct on an ABC-licensed premises.
The store’s permittee and the corporation were also criminally charged.
Special agents will submit a report to the ABC Commission documenting the investigative findings. The ABC Commission may choose to sanction Happy Mart #5 through fines, suspension or revocation of the business’ ABC permits.
The crash investigation is ongoing with SHP.