The Honolulu Liquor Commission is investigating whether a 22-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier who was shot and killed while trying to evade police in Waikiki last month was served alcohol at a Kuhio Avenue bar after he was drunk.
The commission also is investigating a fight Jan. 24 at the M Nightclub in Restaurant Row in which Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams was hit on the head with a dangerous instrument, reportedly a Champagne bottle.
Williams, who was here to play in the Pro Bowl on Jan. 27, needed stitches for his head injury and was forced to miss the game.
On Jan. 15, Army Pfc. Gregory Gordon’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit to drive when he evaded police and smashed a truck into police cars moments before he was fatally shot in Waikiki.
Liquor investigators believe they know the bar on Kuhio Avenue where Gordon was drinking, a spokesman said, but declined to identify the establishment. Investigators have identified witnesses and plan to audit receipts from several establishments Gordon was known to frequent.
Gordon used the Dodge Ram truck he was driving to ram, several times, police vehicles that had boxed him in on Ala Wai Boulevard. Three officers were hospitalized with minor injuries.
Police said Gordon had a blood alcohol level of 0.196, nearly 2 1⁄2 times the legal limit for driving.
The only other substances found in his blood were caffeine and cotinine — a byproduct of nicotine — city Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Mike Kobayashi announced Friday.
A relative of Gordon has said the family believes his heavy drinking and other behavior resulted from post-traumatic stress disorder. Gordon was a fire support specialist with the 3rd Squadron assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, which deployed to Afghanistan in April 2011 and returned in January 2012. He was awaiting his discharge.
In the nightclub fight, three men, including M Nightclub part-owner Michael Miske Jr., were arrested and charged with assault. Miske, 38, is free on $250,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Circuit Court on Monday on a second-degree assault charge.
Michael Buntendah, 40, of Kaneohe was arrested for misdemeanor third-degree assault early Jan. 25 at Waterfront Plaza. John Blane Kenui Stancil, 25, of Waimanalo was arrested Monday on two counts of misdemeanor assault. Police released Buntendah after he posted $150 bail and released Stancil after he posted $200 bail. Buntendah is scheduled to appear in Honolulu District Court on Feb. 21. Stancil’s court appearance is Feb. 25.
Another owner of the club declined to say whether Buntendah and Stancil are nightclub employees.
Miske’s lawyer said NFL players at the club were being unruly and rude and that there were reports of players smoking marijuana. An NFL spokesman declined to respond to Otake’s comment, referring all questions to Honolulu police.
Other than last week’s incident involving Williams, the Liquor Commission has no other investigations into the operations of the M Nightclub, a spokesman said.
