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Death of teen leads to police action

If you live in Greeley, chances are you’ve already heard the sad story about the death of an 18-year old teenaged girl after a party at her new apartment. While the coroner’s report is not yet in, it is believed that alcohol consumption lead to her death. Now a liquor store has been cited for alledgedly selling to underage patrons the alcohol that was consumed by minors at this party at the party to minors. A 20-year-old man has been arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Important to remember: underage drinking is not safe, and can heartbreaking results. And providing alcohol to an underage minor is a felony. Never a good idea!

Liquor store cited for providing alcohol that may have led to woman’s death

By Sharon Dunn*
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A downtown Greeley liquor store has been cited for selling minors the alcohol that police believe ended up at a home where an 18-year-old Greeley woman died after a party. The store could face fines and the possible loss of its liquor license.

Greeley police cited Zip Mart Discount Liquor, 1500 8th Ave., after an investigation into the death of Dallas Lee Bradford led them to witnesses who identified the store.

Bradford died in her sleep Dec. 4 after a party at her downtown Greeley home the night before. The Weld County Coroner has yet to determine the cause of her death, pending toxicology results.

Police cited the store on Dec. 15, stating that three males, all under 21, bought four 30-packs of beer at the store without having to show identification. The store will have a “show-cause” hearing at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 13 at Greeley City Council chambers.

“The liquor store cited is believed to be the establishment where the alcohol (for the party) was obtained,” Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said.

The investigation is far from over, Tymkowych said.

“The investigation is continuing,” he said. “The possibility of additional arrests remains.”

Shortly after Bradford’s death, police arrested Derek Perez, 20, on allegations that he sold Bradford $20 worth of cocaine during that party. He has since been charged with distribution of a controlled substance and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, both felonies. The distribution charge alone carries the possibility of four to 12 years in prison upon conviction. He is due in court this morning to be advised of the charges against him.

Bradford shared the home in the 1900 block of 7th Avenue with four other roommates, according to a Greeley police affidavit.

One of Bradford’s roommates told police Bradford had been drinking heavily at the party, using cocaine, and she had also snorted a white pill, believed to be morphine, that had been crushed up, according to a Greeley police affidavit. The roommate told police that Perez sold Bradford the cocaine and provided the pill.

According to the summary of the citation to the liquor store, police say a video from the store caught the transaction with the three males.

“It was clear for the video that the clerk accepts the money from the three males, but no identification is shown or requested,” according to the citation summary.

Daljit Singh, the owner of the liquor store, told police his wife was the clerk in the video selling the liquor, and that the men had been in his store numerous times before that night and had shown identification.

On Wednesday at his store, Singh said the men have shown identification in the past, and he has video to prove it.

Greeley Municipal Judge Bob Frick will act as the hearing officer, and he will decide whether the store sold the alcohol without checking for identification.

If Frick decides the store violated the law, the store’s liquor license could be suspended or revoked, or the owner could be fined instead. By state law, the fine would be 20 percent of the store’s gross revenues, no less than $200, but no more than $5,000. The particular sanction would be up to Frick.

*Copyright 2012 Greeley Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.