Serving minors means Lieser has to sell bar

This article submitted by Linda Stelling on 12/10/96.

Gary Lieser, 44, owner of the Short Stop bar in St. Martin, pleaded guilty Dec. 2 to three counts of providing alcohol to underage drinkers in Stearns County District Court before Judge Ahles.

This was his fourth conviction of serving alcohol to minors. This conviction arose from a fatal car accident on May 18 which claimed the lives of Ryan Shay, Albany, and Brent Schmitz, St. Martin. Surviving the accident was the driver James Arceneau, Albany. Earlier this fall, Arceneau pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Tests indicated Arceneauâs blood alcohol content was .14, Shayâs was .13, and Schmitz, .24.

Lieserâs guilty plea brought an end to his association with bars. In exchange for his guilty plea, Lieser will receive one year in the Stearns County Jail and be required to sell the Short Stop by Dec. 15, 1996, according to the plea agreement. Prosecutors also required Lieser to have no relationship to bars. His wife, Sandy, owns the Silver Spur, also located in St. Martin. Lieser has three previous convictions for providing alcohol to minors.

Arceneau appeared in Stearns County District Court on Friday. On four counts of criminal vehicular homicide, he was sentenced to one year in jail, ordered to pay $6,000 fine and $1,200 in court costs; have a chemical dependency evaluation done; serve 10 years probation and abstain from mood altering chemicals. On the fifth count of criminal vehicular homicide, he was sentenced to pay a $6,000 fine and $1,200 in court costs and serve 10 years probation. The two probations terms would be consecutive.

Lieser did not return calls made to his home nor did his attorney.

[ Return to Previous Menu | Archived Press Stories Menu | Return to the News Page ]