A liquor store clerk was in custody Wednesday on suspicion of selling alcohol to an underage suspect facing murder, DUI and other charges for allegedly driving drunk and killing a Long Beach couple and their 3-year-old son on Halloween night.
Amor Potestades Amacio, who works at Green Diamond Liquor in the 5300
block of Long Beach Boulevard in Long Beach, allegedly sold alcohol to Carlo Navarro, 20, of Long Beach, on the day of the Oct. 31 crash, the Long Beach Police Department reported.
Navarro was arrested at the scene of the crash that took the lives of Joseph Awaida, 30, Raihan Dakhil, 32, and their son, Omar.
Navarro faces 45 years to life in prison if convicted of three counts each of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, according to the District Attorney's Office. He pleaded not guilty on Nov. 13 and is due back in a Long Beach courtroom on Jan. 16.
The crash at Country Club Drive and Los Cerritos Park Place occurred a few hours after Amacio sold the alcohol to Navarro, who was below the legal age to buy booze, police allege.
The case was investigated by Long Beach police and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which plans to seek disciplinary
action against Green Diamond Liquor's alcohol beverage license, according to the LBPD.
Amacio, 56, of Norwalk was booked on suspicion of selling alcohol to a
minor resulting in great bodily injury and "other related administrative charges,'' according to police. He is being held in the Long Beach City jail in
lieu of $100,000 bail.
