A fight that broke out in the Tiki Shack bar involving a 15-year-old and 19-year-old Saturday was the final incident that led the city attorney to postpone the meeting for current bar managers trying to receive a liquor license at the Alcohol License Review Committee’s Wednesday meeting.
According to a Madison Police Department incident report, 19-year-old Mark Sanders and the 15-year-old Madison man got in a dispute with other patrons in the bar located at 124 State St. One employee received a chipped tooth from Sanders who was arrested and cited for underage drinking.
“Just the mere fact that a 15-year-old was allegedly able to gain access to the bar is extremely troubling,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. “This is not the first time Tiki Shack has had issues with underage individuals drinking in the bar.”
The Tiki Shack has had numerous infractions that led to the city attorney’s decision for referral. One of the current managers, Caleb Percevecz, was arrested in October for punching an 18-year-old man and breaking his tooth. Percevecz currently has pending charges for substantial battery and disorderly conduct.
Prior to Percevecz’s incident, Tiki Shack owner Joseph Vale was going to face disciplinary matters before the ALRC until that agenda item was referred. Vale has a conviction report with multiple counts of serving alcohol to underage patrons and one count of an intoxicated employee. The city attorney said the managers’ licensing and Vale’s punishment should be handled during the same meeting.
Percevecz and another Tiki Shack manager, Daniel Mijal, would have met with ALCR members to discuss a possible liquor license for the bar Wednesday. Mijal and Percevecz had plans to take over the bar and convert it into a restaurant with island-themed cuisine.
Verveer said the fate of Vale’s liquor license will be determined at the next meeting Dec. 17. ALRC members will have to consider demerit points added to the license which could result in suspension or revocation depending on the amount of points.
The city attorney also has the choice to file a motion before the ALRC to suspend or revoke Tiki Shack’s liquor license.
“Frankly, given what information I have today,” Verveer said, “I would say that there’s a pretty good case for suspension or revocation.”
