Fresno Bar Owner Talks About DUI Sting

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

March 15, 2006 -- For the first time, we're hearing from one of the owners of one of the bars at the center of a police DUI sting controversy.

Police Chief Jerry Dyer says he has good reason to send officers out looking for drunk drivers.

The chief says during this year, injury collisions in the city are down almost 12%, but he says people getting injured in accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol are up 73%.

One of the owners of the Dirty Olive says a DUI suspect was at his restaurant for less than an hour Monday night before he got into some type of an argument with his ex-wife and left.

He knows because he says he has the couple on surveillance cameras inside the restaurant.

Fresno police say William Harbaugh had a blood alcohol level of .15 when he ran a red light and hit another car. His ex-wife, Andrea Harbaugh, was ejected and died.

The bar's owner says even though William Harbaugh did not appear to be drunk, he did have a few drinks. But, Andrea Harbaugh was only served cranberry juice.

"She seemed to be a little wobbly and I knew we called our bartender and she said that she did not serve the young lady," said Dirty Olive co-owner Jay Urabe. "We're just trying to find out what was served."

Bar owners have located the credit card receipt for drinks William Harbaugh bought for himself and other bar guests.

For the first time, the bar's co-owner met with the police chief for a discussion on Ray Appleton's talk show.

"We cleared the air, we're going in the right direction, which is really good," said Urabe. "The first operation they did wasn't very good, as far as to the public and to us. But they're modifying it, they're making it better."

The Dirty Olive was one of several bars in northeast and central Fresno that was spied on several weeks ago by undercover officers who observed patrons drinking inside before some customers were followed outside and pulled over by officers when they left the bar.

Police Chief Jerry Dyer says he's asking bar owners to keep a closer watch on how much patrons are drinking and how they are behaving. But he also knows business owners can only do so much before it's up to the patron to make the right call.

"I don't believe it's the sole responsibility of the business owner to be able to control their patrons," says Dyer. "And certainly they're not responsible for the poor decisions their patrons make when they choose to drive in a vehicle."

The Dirty Olive co-owner agreed Wednesday with the chief to be the first restaurant to put a sign up letting customers know of safe rides home if they have had too many drinks.

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