The people who served alcohol to minors at the Shores of Erie International Wine Festival should accept responsibility for their actions, says the brother of the LaSalle teen who died in a car crash last year.
C.J. Bernauer responded to news that five volunteers are no longer charged with liquor licence offences in connection to his sister’s death, but he would like those responsible to come forward.
Emily Bernauer died in September 2014 in a car crash when she drove home after her shift at the festival, where the 18-year-old worker is alleged to have consumed alcohol.
In the latest impassioned posting on his personal blog, C.J. says his sister paid dearly for her choices the night she died and shouldn’t bare the brunt of public criticism for the cancellation of the popular festival.
“Emily paid the price for her mistake that night, but she’s not the one responsible for serving drinks,” her brother said in an interview. “I hoped people who knew what happened that night would come forward by now. They haven’t.”
C.J. has repeatedly come to his sister’s defence following criticisms of her and the family on social media as the legal process gradually unfolds.
“These are charges from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. This attack on my family, or these attacks on her, have nothing to do with the charges,” he said. “Someone served alcohol to minors, that’s not my sister’s responsibility.”
Five festival volunteers had been charged with permitting a person who appears to be under the age of 19 to have liquor and for failing to inspect identification of a person who appears to be under 19, in connection with Emily’s death. But those charges were withdrawn this week.
Instead, similar charges are now filed against the festival corporation. A charge against Rennie Rota, the owner of Amherstburg Sobeys, also remains. Emily was working in the Sobeys tent at the festival the night she died.
C.J. said he wants those responsible to come forward. The five volunteers no longer face the possibility of being fined as much as $100,000 and up to a year in prison if convicted.
“If they had nothing to do with it, why should they be punished?” he said. “But the people who served the alcohol know the truth. They too, just like Emily, made a mistake that night. They should take responsibility.”
The frustrated brother previously spoke out about the attacks his family has endured, expressing his disappointment over comments that Emily needed to take responsibility for her actions and that the family is looking to get money from her death.
The Bernauer family has not filed a lawsuit. C.J. said his family hired a lawyer to investigate Emily’s death. That lawyer recommended filing letters of intent to sue to allow the family the ability to gather more information.
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