Charleston restaurant cracks down on musicians drinking while performing after deadly hit-and-run

CHARLESTON, S.C (WCBD) — A popular downtown Charleston restaurant and bar said it is cracking down on its no-drinking policy for musicians who perform at the establishment.

Greg Russell, a business partner and operations manager at Henry’s on the Market, said they have become more strict on these rules after two 20-year-old women were struck and killed while walking along Morrison Drive.

According to police, Lizzy Zito, a College of Charleston student, and her friend Arianna Gamber were hit twice by two separate drivers on the morning of April 28.

Two men, Max Gentilin and Seth Carlson were charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death in connection to the incident. Carlson was also charged with reckless vehicular homicide. The defendants’ motions to dismiss the charges for lack of probable cause were denied by a judge during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

At that hearing, an investigator with the Charleston Police Department testified and gave more details about the incident. Officer Bordallo said Carlson was performing with a band at Sweet Grass Vodka Lounge that night and drank several alcoholic drinks.

Bordallo also testified that Gentilin was seen on video footage drinking alcoholic drinks at a bar and went to several places that sold alcohol that night.

Zito and Gamber were seen walking north on Morrison Drive in the pedestrian lane around 1 a.m. on April 28. According to police, a pick-up truck that Carlson was driving veered out of its lane and struck the women before continuing north. Officers said Carlson then crashed into a ditch on Sam Rittenburg Boulevard and ran off. His truck was later found abandoned.

Then, around 1:40 a.m., officers said Gentilin ran onto the curb and hit Gamber and Zito again before getting back on the road and driving off. The women were found around 8:30 a.m. After the crash, Gentilin’s car was found near the Morrison Yard apartments. Officer Bordallo also testified that empty beer bottles were found inside his car.

Since the judge denied the motions to dismiss Carlson and Gentilin’s charges, the case will now move ahead to trial.