McCabe’s Night Club has suffered the penalties for allowing a 19-year-old DeKalb resident, who was later killed in a traffic accident, enter the bar this summer.

And DeKalb Liquor Commissioner Greg Sparrow said he believes those penalties were justified. “I do feel we are tougher than any other university town in the state (on liquor laws),” he said.

Stacey C. Krusbe was killed in a rollover accident on June 1 at 2:47 a.m. on Route 64 roughly one mile west of North First Street, according to DeKalb County Sheriff’s Police.

The death led to charges filed against McCabe’s and Sycamore resident Brent A. Tyrell.

The accident occurred after Tyrell allegedly furnished alcohol to Krusbe and a friend behind Andy’s Lounge, 317 E. Lincoln Hwy., and at McCabe’s Night Club, 323 E. Lincoln Hwy.

McCabe’s Night Club had its license suspended from 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 1 until 12 a.m. Aug. 3 and from 12:01 Aug. 8 until 12 a.m. Aug. 18 for allegedly allowing two minors, Krusbe and Anessia Ragan, to enter the bar.

Sparrow said he felt the 14-day suspension was extreme but justified. “Fourteen days is extreme for any business to have to shut down especially for a first-time incident,” he said.

Some DeKalb residents argued the dates of the suspension should have been after the NIU fall semester began when there are more prospective customers. In response, Sparrow contested McCabe’s is not only a student bar. “There are a lot of townies that go (to McCabe’s). There is also a large population of summer school students in DeKalb that go there.”

Sparrow said he felt a good solution to the problem of minors illegally getting into bars using back doors and false identification is to make the offenders take the full penalties.

“The owners have to become more vigilant in keeping minors out. They can’t let down their guard any time,” he said.

“The police chief and the owners have to recognize that this is a college community and that there are a lot of 18, 19 and 20 year-olds that are going to have fake IDs,” he said. “Instead of just taking (the fake IDs) away they should go ahead and prosecute.”

Sparrow said the penalties for minors using false identification are the offender receives a fine, and can lose his or her driver’s license for up to one year.

“There is plenty of blame and responsibility to go around to everyone, if that’s what people want to do is blame someone,” Sparrow said.