Little Tijuana's liquor license suspended. Customer killed in crash was served 15 drinks

ZANESVILLE — The liquor license of a local bar was suspended for 25 days after an investigation revealed a patron involved in a fatal crash had been served 15 drinks in less than 3.5 hours.

The State of Ohio ordered The Little Tijuana on Ridge Avenue to either pay a $5,000 dollar fine or serve a 25 day liquor license suspension. The establishment chose the license suspension, which ends at noon on June 27. 

Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Jirles said the business' license holder is listed as David Wallace. OSHP was not able to contact him and mailed the suspension notice to the address of the bar.

Wallace, of Zanesville, died in February, according to a Legacy.com obituary. 

The suspension comes after a joint investigation of the Ohio Investigative Unit and OSHP.

The investigation stemmed from a fatal Christmas Eve 2019 crash involving a Zanesville man, according to Jirles.

Jirles said the crash occurred on US 40 just west of Zanesville when 29-year-old Robert Tokie drove off the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned. Tokie was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. The crash occurred around 8 p.m. near Polk's Scrap Iron and Metal.

Investigators with the Ohio Investigative Unit and Highway Patrol determined Tokie had just left The Little Tijuana bar prior to the crash.

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