Johns Creek police bust party; cite 36 teens for drinking

By MARCUS K. GARNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Johns Creek police broke up a Memorial Day “lock-in” graduation party, citing 36 teens for under-aged drinking.

Police also charged the owner of Anatolia, a restaurant, and arrested her son, and three adult security guards for serving alcohol to minors and obstructing police early Monday morning, authorities said.

Owner Rabia Gungoren and her employees said the staff didn’t serve alcohol to teens at the Sunday-night-to-Monday morning party. Gungoren said police are targeting her young clientele.
“This is discrimination against teenagers,” Gungoren said Wednesday night by phone.

According to a police report, an officer arrived at the 10970 States Bridge Road around 2:30 a.m., and noticed several cars parked in the back, but none parked up front.
One teen fled as the officer approached, but was caught and said “he had been held against his will,” police said.

Police ordered everyone inside to exit the building, after seeing people hiding in the kitchen and restaurant through the windows.

But 30 minutes passed before the front door opened, police said. Inside, officers found people hiding in air ducts in the building rafters, in refrigerators, and under tables, and saw wine bottles, beer cans, cases and a keg still cold to the touch, police said.

Police said a breath analysis was used to determine those under 21 had been drinking alcohol, and each was cited and returned to their parents.

Anatolia employee Carrie McDonaugh, who also was cited for under-aged drinking, contradicted police reports.“Before I got the citation, I asked the officer, ‘could you please Breathalyzer me,’” McDonaugh, 20, said Wednesday night. “But he refused.“Pretty much no one was Breathalyzed except for the people over 21 who they let drive home.”“We didn’t want him to drive home drunk,” she said.

Gungoren’s son Mehmet Gungoren was working that night and was charged with serving alcohol to minors. Three security guards — Michael Shane Bickes, Vincent Darren James and Patrick Wilson Bull — were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. All four were taken to the Doraville jail, where they were released on bond, authorities said.

Another teen was arrested for having less than an ounce of marijuana, police said.

Gungoren’s restaurant was cited last September for serving alcohol to minors, a mistake she admits to. “I’m very careful about what I’m doing here,” she said. “My son told me he never gave anybody alcohol.”