Carmel bar cited again for allowing minors inside

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) - A Carmel bar cited in January for serving minors is in trouble again.

Saturday night, 16 minors were arrested and the Double Apple Lounge was cited for serving alcohol to patrons under 21 years old, Indiana State Excise Police officials say.

Police officials say the bar owner told three females — ages 15, 19 and 20 — to run into the kitchen and pretend to be cooks. Officers found them trying to cook on a cold grill.

The bar located at 4004 W. 96th St. is facing 16 preliminary charges of allowing a minor to loiter, five counts of sale of alcohol to a minor, one count of hindering enforcement, one count of employment of minors, and one count of failing to maintain employee records.

It’s the second time in less than four months that the bar was cited. In late January, 10 minors were arrested and the Double Apple Lounge was cited for allowing the minors to loiter.

The minors — ranging in age from 15 to 20 years old — were cited for minor in a tavern, a misdemeanor. Eight minors were cited for illegal consumption of alcohol; five of those said they consumed the alcohol at Double Apple Lounge.

“Owners and servers who choose to forego their responsibility to identify underage persons and remove them from these establishments will be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof,” Superintendent Matt Strittmatter said in a news release.