‘Date Rape’ Drugging at Marin Bar May be Linked to Sexual Assaults

In the wake of two recent sexual assaults, San Rafael Police Department officials and owners of the nightclub Nickel Rose are reminding community members to not leave drinks unattended.

The police are investigating two sexual assaults involving San Rafael women in their 20’s who had been drinking at the San Rafael nightclub, located at B Street and 3rd Street, before they blacked out for the rest of the evening. It’s possible a substance was slipped into the drinks of the women without their knowledge, according to police officials.

Jennifer Ashby, co-owner of Nickel Rose, said they taking the alleged crimes very seriously and are now installing security cameras.

“We are greatly saddened by this and will do all that’s in our power to prevent this from happening again,” said the Fairfax resident. “It’s a women-owned club, we both have daughters, and we have always had a zero tolerance policy for any inappropriate action toward women.”

One victim, a 26-year-old, reportedly left Nickel Rose around 2 a.m. on Sept. 12, but doesn’t remember what happened until she woke up eight hours later, as a victim of sexual assault, in her home, according to San Rafael Police Spokesperson Margo Rohrbacher. 

The other victim, a 22-year-old, was at Nickel Rose with her friends on Sept. 21, but doesn’t have any memory of what happened to her between 11 p.m. that night and the next morning, when she woke up in a hotel in southern Marin as a victim of sexual assault. Rohrbacher said the police aren’t disclosing more information about the hotel’s location because of the underway investigation.

“Date rape” or predator drugs are administered surreptitiously and have sedative, hypnotic, and amnesiac effects, according to police officials, who added that the term “date rape” can be misleading because the suspect using the drug is not necessarily a date, but may be a complete stranger.  Predator drugs can be used on men and women and in both public and private settings.

Ashby said they regularly have four security guards working during a busy evening at Nickel Rose, but will be doing whatever they can to amp up security at the club.

“We are closely with the San Rafael police to gather and provide any information or apprehended this perpetrator,” she said. “The fact that this may have happened at Nickel Rose is incomprehensible to us.”

To prevent future instances, police issued the following reminders to the public:

• Watch your drinks and don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know.
• Open containers yourself.
• Keep your drink with you at all times, even when using the restroom.  If you do leave your drink unattended, pour it out when you return.
• If someone offers to get you a drink, go with them to order, watch it being poured, and carry it yourself.
• Don’t drink anything that tastes or smells strange.
• If you feel drunk and have not consumed any alcohol – or, if you feel the effects of alcohol stronger than usual – get help right away.
• Make sure that someone in your party is non-drinking and the designated driver.
• If you are going to drink, drink responsibly. 

Anyone with information is asked to call SRPD Detective Leslie O’Toole at 485-3026 or Detective Corporal Todd Berringer at 485-3017. Information can also be provided using the SRPD Silent Witness tip form available at www.srpd.org/tips.