Sanju Paudel, left, appears with her attorney in Fond du Lac County court via video conference May 18, 2023. She is accused of selling alcohol to two teenagers who were killed in a fatal crash in January. PC: Fox 11 Online
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The case of a convenience store clerk who allegedly sold two teens alcohol hours before a fatal drunk driving crash was postponed Thursday.
Sanju Paudel, 27, faces two counts of procuring alcohol for a minor resulting in death for the Jan. 21 crash which killed Nevins Zoch and Tommy Koenigs, both 16. Another girl, Gillian Schwartz, was also injured in the town of Taycheedah crash on Jan. 21.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Thursday, as was a motion hearing on a defense request to dismiss one of the counts. However, prosecutors requested an adjournment, the defense did not object, and the delay was granted by Judge Andrew Christenson. Both items will be addressed July 14.
Paudel didn’t ask for identification for teens before selling them two 30-packs of Busch Light and a bottle of Captain Morgan rum, according to the complaint. That was about 8 p.m. Saturday.
The teens then went to a home, where there was an underage drinking party with no parents present.
Authorities believe the vehicle had been speeding westbound on Golf Course Drive in the town of Taycheedah, lost control, and entered the north shoulder, striking a tree on the north side of the road at about 3:25 a.m. Sunday. Schwartz told police they were travelling at 100mph at one point, and were going 80mph when they hit the tree, the complaint states.
Koenigs, the driver, had a BAC of .123, and had marijuana in his system, according to the complaint.
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