Ain't No Party Like a Hibachi Party

Boy, 2, Served Sake at Restaurant

By Dave Nethers
Fox 8 News Reporter
8:43 PM EST, November 15, 2011

JACKSON TWP., Ohio

Two-year-old Karl Preusser, Jr. was with his parents and their friends Friday evening, enjoying a night out at the Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse, a hibachi style restaurant where the cook prepares the meal in front of a table of guests.

His mother, Brittany Winter, said during the meal the cook went around the table offering guests a squirt of sake, a Japanese rice wine, from a squirt bottle.

She told police that the first time he jokingly asked their two-year-old if he was legal drinking age, and did not give him any.

Later, she said the cook again offered guests some sake from the squirt bottle.

"He asked K.J. if he was 21and K.J. said yes and opened his mouth because, of course, that's what he sees everybody doing," Winter told Fox 8 News, "and he squirted a mouthful of sake into his mouth."

Winter said the boy immediately started crying and saying his mouth was burning.

Other witnesses said the parents immediately got something else for the boy to drink while the cook started to quickly gather his things to leave.

Winter and the boy's father, Karl Preusser, Sr. left the restaurant and immediately went to see Jackson Twp. Police.

"He's two-years-old, still in diapers. Who would even think about serving him alcohol?" said Preusser, Sr.

Officers went to the restaurant where they were able to confirm the story through other witnesses, one of whom said she had to "do a double take in the direction of the table to make sure it was a child."

In her statement, the witness said, "The cook reached his arm over the grill and squirted sake into the kid's mouth for about three to five seconds."

"It was a little more than a small amount, it was a whole mouthful," said Preusser, Sr.

The cook, identified in a police report as Mingyang Zhu, 26, of Canton, told officers he "attempted to make a movement like he was going to give the child a drink, without pouring any."

He stated when he made the movement, he did, however pour a small amount into the child's mouth.

A manager at the restaurant told Fox 8 News on Tuesday that he had been advised not to comment.

In the police report officers said manager Josh Lin "did advise (the responding officer) that the bottles contain sake," and that "it does contain alcohol."

The police report said "he further stated they sometimes keep smaller bottles with sprite in them for children and that the employees are only supposed to give the non-alcoholic beverages to children."

"He spit it all over his shirt," said Winter, "so he reeked of alcohol when we left."

She told Fox 8 News that the boy was examined at the police department by paramedics and was fine.

The cook was charged with one count of furnishing intoxicating liquor to a minor, a first degree misdemeanor, and was summonsed to appear later this month in Massillon Municipal Court.

"I think this certainly is a strange situation," said Jackson Twp. Police Chief David Zink. "We have never had that, to my knowledge, in the past. Providing alcohol to any child, let alone an infant, is certainly disturbing."


OK, first of all, these parents should be ashamed on several levels.  First, their kid is a bold-faced liar.  The chef asked him if he was 21 and the kid said yes.  On that alone, stop the presses, case closed.  Second of all, they should be ashamed because their kid is a pussy and can't handle his booze.  He spits it up all over his shirt, then cries about his mouth burning?  Child please.  When I was younger than that my Dad gave me beer, which I promptly threw up, but I didn't bitch and moan, I manned up, booted and rallied.  That's how toddlers should roll.

Also for the parents, I can see using this to score a free meal at you local Ohio Hibachi Restaurant, but going to the police?  Really?  This Chinese dude doesn't have enough problems being like one of 17 non-white people in Ohio, that you have to bust his balls about a little shot of sake to their kid's grill?

Dad, you've got tats and a Harley Davidson t-shit.  How about you teach your son how to be a man?

-Big Ran

KC Jones Comments: I wish I could add to this, but it's clearly perfection and possibly one of the best posts ever written by Big Ran---trying to add to it would be like trying enhance the paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (sp?)....

Big Ran Note:  I think it's the Sixteen Chapel because Leonardo DiCaprio was 16 when he painted it. I think that's right, but now I'm questioning myself.

KC Jones: Well, remember when I said that it was already perfection? That comment really just took it to a new level. I need to start wearing Depends when I read anything from Big Ran.