I can’t believe that five months have passed and this still remains under investigation. Maybe now that Mr. Penaranda is no longer in a “neurologically classified permanently vegetative state,” and has now died, the SLT Police will get off their butts and shift the investigation into a higher gear concerning charges being filed. This is a black eye to this community and makes me wonder just how much influence “Mo” has. From what I was told by an individual that was present in that establishment and witnessed this incident take place, it wasn’t a one-on-one fight with Mo and Penaranda, it was a free-for-all by Mo’s security personnel and close friends/patrons on a single individual.

To Mr. Penaranda’s family and friends I extend my sincere sympathies.

RIP, Zippy. It’s absolutely shocking that the SLT Police Department haven’t rounded up Mo and his “security” team and charged them with murder. Yes, Zippy acted (very) inappropriately that night, and certainly deserved to be thrown out (if not roughed up a bit), but no one deserves to die for having a night of drinking in Tahoe and getting a little out of hand.

The SLT police have a video of the attack. I know this because my friend took it. To this day, after taking possession of the video on the night of the assault, they have NEVER called him to ask him what happened. The police in this town are an absolute joke. For the record, 4-5 “bouncers” that were hired by Mo pinned Zippy to the ground and beat the life out of him in front of a 100 people, long after he had been contained and was no longer a threat to anyone.

I hope Mo and his “security” team are thrown in prison, and Zippy’s family takes Mo for every penny he’s worth. Not that money will bring Zippy back, but at least it will put these creeps that give South Lake Tahoe a bad name out of business forever.

you blogers seem to have a lot of hatered
for Mo and the security folks

you could get drunk and stupid at any bar here in town and the same damn thing could happen to you

any bar in Carson City

any Bar in Reno

any bar in Rippon

if you don’t know how to act then you shouldn’t go out

but I am sorry that it had to happen to that guy

This is not the first time or will it be the last time demon rum has caused misery and dispair. Liquid courage has killed or caused the death or injury of tens of thousands of people. Sadness for all concerned.

I’m sure that our New City Manager will get the police dept. on this right away, this kind of advertisement is not good for our community.

Chief:

In my long life I’ve been drunk and stupid in numerous bars in numerous countries and have had more than my fair share of brawls. Not once though was I beaten unconscious and certainly not even once was I beaten like that by the so called “staff” at any establishment, in Country or out of Country. Only a coward continues to beat on someone once they’re on the ground and unable to defend themselves. After someone’s on the ground the fight is over, and when numerous people beat and kick a person after they’re down that’s nothing more than a feeding frenzy. If you’re a friend of Mo’s just say so, but don’t make excuses for him and his staff.

Mo and his so-called “security staff” need to be held accountable. This is SLT and not east LA.

Is there anyone in SLT offened by this lack of justice? How is it possible to have a video of this murder and still have no arrest?
At the very least Mo aand staff {what a joke} need to be held accountable for the pain THEY caused, for the DEATH they are RESPONSIBLE for and for the suffering inflicted upon family, friends and the entire commutity of Ripon.
Mo’s Place cost Zippy his life.
Could be yours next time.

My condolences to the Penaranda family.
This did not have to happen! What does have to happen is charges brought against those reponsible for ” Zippys” death.
Many years ago I was sort of a part time bouncer at a small bar here on So. Shore. It was the Bitter Creek , it was small, brand new and mostly drew a mellow crowd of Heavenly employees. The place had just opened and was owned by a guy named Steve. I never hit anyone, always just talked the rare rowdy patron into leaving. Call a cab and off he went.
This whole horrible event could have been avoided with a little common sense. Beating people up is never the answer.
R.I.P. Zippy. Old Long Skiis

Skis,

I’m with you on this and when people say things like “this happened because booze was involved” it leads me to ask ‘Were Mo and his bouncers drunk?’ I’ve heard that Mr. Penaranda had too much to drink that evening but one would think that the establishment owner and his staff would be sober when at work so they can adequately manage and operate a business and appropriately deal with a customer who may have imbibed too much.

Robert. This whole episode is tragic, and I hope law enforcement gets to the bottom of it SOON. But the only person responsible for overindulging in alcohol is the person who drinks it.
Personal responsibility needs to make a comeback.

I agree, 4-mer. I was simply questioning Robert’s placing the blame for “over-serving” Zippy. We (as usual) don’t have all the facts. But blaming the bar for Zippy getting drunk is wrong too. That’s why minors aren’t allowed to drink. Supposedly adults are responsible for their choices.

I think all of you are jumping WAY out on a limb here, especially 4-mer. If we stop and THINK, we’d probably realize there is more to the story than “I heard it from my buddy that…” kind of info. I’ve been to enough bars and heard friends “report” what happened later to people who weren’t there. Never seems to really fit with what really happened. Much cooler to have a good story to tell.

4-mer: Of all people you should know this. As one 4-mer to another, you know the legs stories get in the military.

If we stop and THINK more, we’d realize there’s a bigger picture than we can see here. Perhaps they actually thought this out? Perhaps they have a charging strategy?

I know it’s much sexier to think in conspiracies and insider deals, especially when it comes to cops, than deal with the bland truth. But it’s more likely that the bland is the way it really is.

Correct your sails..if needed.

Checkdown:

I would hope that the Police have a charging strategy. I agree that stories can have legs, but the fact of the matter is this man is now dead and it is highly unlikely in this circumstance that he slipped into a “neurologically classified as permanently vegetative state” without the assistance of some other people. This man needed resuscitation by paramedics at the scene, never to regain consciousness, and later died and that doesn’t happen from just being restrained. I can’t imagine that this one single individual could not have been restrained by Mo’s “security staff” without their use of excessive force which ultimately led to deadly force.

In all the bar fights in which I participated or witnessed in my long life, both Stateside and abroad, while in the military and as a civilian, I’ve never once seen anyone beaten into a vegetative state or beaten to death.

I agree that there is more to this story than will likely become public but the autopsy should provide pertinent details as to the cause of death and I would anticipate that when that report is released Lake Tahoe News will publish what is made public.