The Caroline County Board of License Commissioners found Preston Roadhouse guilty of selling alcohol to a person under 21 and assessed a $1,000 fine plus a $50 administrative fee following testimony and evidence from a Nov. 27, 2024, undercover compliance check.

The board's alcoholic beverage inspector presented an incident report stating that on Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 27, 2024, three confidential informants under age 21 entered Preston Roadhouse. One informant used a vertical state-issued driver's license showing she was 19 and was served a glass of rosé wine. The inspector said the server, identified as Ava Short, had poured the drink and that the manager on duty, Julie North, told the inspector she believed Short “knew what she was doing.” The inspector photographed the bottle and the marked currency used in the operation and submitted those photos as evidence.

Licensee Ian Fleming told the board the account was accurate. “The occurrence is correct. As an experienced licensee, we take our responsibilities in this and all other regulatory areas very seriously,” Fleming said, adding that the establishment terminated the employee the night of the incident and disciplined the manager.

Board members described the offense as a major violation of Annotated Code of Maryland, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article §6-304 and Caroline County rule 2.26. During deliberations commissioners noted that Preston Roadhouse had no prior violations on record, had corrected the conduct immediately and had TIP (alcohol-awareness) certifications among staff, but that the violation still merited a penalty.

The board voted to find Preston Roadhouse in violation and then voted to assess a $1,000 fine plus a $50 administrative fee. The board administrator will prepare a written decision; commissioners said the licensee will receive instructions on payment and that the decision will be ready after the board signs it, typically within 30 days.

The board also discussed evidence and staffing: the inspector said photographs and a written statement from the confidential informant were submitted. Fleming emphasized that alcohol sales represent a small portion of his business and said the termination and additional staff training were intended to prevent recurrence.

The fine and written decision close the case at the board level; any additional appeals or enforcement steps were not stated in the hearing record.

Ending: The board entered its findings and penalty on the record and instructed staff to prepare the written decision and payment instructions for Preston Roadhouse.