Mooresville store owner, clerk charged after selling alcohol to teens who later crashed car: officials

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A store owner and clerk in Iredell County were criminally charged after selling alcohol to underaged teens, according to the North Carolina Department of Safety.

Officials say the teens later crashed their vehicle in Rowan County while under the influence on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023.

Kalasudhan Kunjupillai, the store clerk, 64, of Charlotte, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 29, and charged with the following:

• Four counts of selling malt beverages to someone under 21
• One count of allowing violations to occur at an ABC-licensed business

The permittee, Lalsen John Churakakuzy, 59, of Mooresville, was cited for failing to superintend an ABC-licensed business.

Reports stated the 17-year-old driver and 16-year-old passenger bought malt beverages from L K Mart on the 3300 block of Deal Road in Mooresville and Kunjupillai failed to check any of the underage patrons’ identifications.

Sometime after the drinks were purchased, troopers say they were notified of a single-vehicle collision involving an underaged driver and passenger who consumed alcohol prior to the wreck. Both teens were rushed to the hospital with minor injuries and malt beverages were found inside the car.

Further investigation revealed two additional teenagers bought malt beverages from the same convenience store on the same evening, unrelated to the crash.

L K Mart could face fines or the suspension/revocation of ABC permits barring a violation report to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.