ABC suspends the license of the Cinema Bar in Culver City
By Sam Catanzaro
State officials have suspended the alcohol license of a Culver City bar for serving an underage woman who was later involved in a deadly DUI crash that killed a 50-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy.
On February 1, 2022, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) suspended the alcohol license of Cinema Bar located at 3967 Sepulveda Boulevard in Culver City for 20 days. The bar is immediately prohibited from selling alcohol until the suspension period ends.
“Preventing underage drinking and driving is a public safety priority,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “ABC licensees must remain vigilant and check identifications carefully to prevent these tragedies from happening.”
ABC suspended the license because Cinema Bar sold alcohol to 20-year-old Bianca Lopez of Los Angeles on April 24, 2021. Later that evening she was involved in a deadly DUI crash that killed a 50-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy. Lopez was arrested on gross vehicular manslaughter charges.
ABC agents opened an investigation after the early morning DUI crash on April 24, 2021.
“ABC agents worked closely with the California Highway Patrol which investigated the crash. ABC agents collected evidence and interviewed witnesses to identify where the underage driver obtained alcohol. The investigation found that a Cinema Bar employee, Roderico Castillo of Placentia, furnished alcohol to 20-year-old Lopez at the bar prior to the deadly crash,” ABC said in a press release.
Cinema Bar did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this article.
