WORCESTER - Two weeks after he told the city License Commission he was done with running the Blarney Stone, the bar’s owner filed an appeal with the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission over the suspension of the club’s all-alcohol license.

Commissioners voted March 11 to suspend the bar’s license after learning that the driver in a fatal crash in Worcester was allegedly seen stumbling around the pub at 75-77 Maywood St. and consuming large amounts of alcohol there before the crash, which killed Devalter M. Rocha, 54, formerly of Framingham.

Rocha was walking on Chandler Street in the early morning hours Nov. 27when he was allegedly struck and killed by Ian McGrath, 23, of 94 Brantwood Road, who was driving his mother's car.

McGrath was charged with motor vehicle homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol and negligently, motor vehicle homicide by reckless driving, driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving so as to endanger, speeding, a marked lanes violation, failing to stop for a pedestrian in the roadway, driving on the sidewalk and failing to wear a seat belt.

McGrath, police said, was served six mixed drinks, three beers, two Jell-O shots and a Twisted Tea by a bartender who was not certified, in about three hours before the crash.

At the March 11 meeting, commissioners also heard from Worcester police that initially the bar’s owner, Thomas McCabe, was uncooperative, refused to return to the club to speak with officers and said, “I’m not coming back every time someone gets hurt. The first thing you do is blame the bar.”

He also allegedly refused to turn over video from the bar's security cameras, told officers no footage existed, and later, a cooperative employee could not find the videos in their usual place, police said.

But McCabe was contrite when he appeared before the License Commission, saying he was sad about what happened and was ashamed of his action. He said he acted in fear and has been sued before. He told commissioners he did not want to be in the bar business anymore.

In a March 27 letter to the ABCC, McCabe said he wants to appeal the License Commission's decision. He said he was delayed in filing the appeal because the Blarney Stone's mail was typically set on the bar by a mail carrier but since the bar closed, he didn't receive the commission's Notice of Decision letter until he retrieved it from the post office on March 24.

The ABCC has set a hearing for 10 a.m. July 16. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unclear whether the hearing would be held remotely. The Blarney Stone remains closed.