The Honolulu Liquor Commission is looking into whether the three people who died in a horrific high-speed crash last week on Likelike Highway had been drinking at a licensed establishment that continued to serve them alcohol despite their being obviously intoxicated.

James Krzywonski, 30; Keone Cardenas, 25; and Amelia Albertsen, 22, were killed early Feb. 26 when their car slammed into a concrete barrier near the entrance to the Wilson Tunnel and crashed. The three died at the scene.

Police said the three were out celebrating a friend's birthday and all three were legally drunk. Krzywonski, who was driving the 2001 Audi, had a blood alcohol level of .225, while Albertsen's blood alcohol level was .214 and Cardenas' level was .095.

State law considers a person legally intoxicated if he or she has a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

While police continue to investigate the crash, the Honolulu Liquor Commission has launched its own probe to determine if an establishment licensed by the commission violated any laws. Dewey Kim, commission administrator, said bars, restaurants and other drinking establishments are prohibited from serving someone who is intoxicated.

A violation could result in fines or revocation of a license.

Kim said the commission is checking "rumors" that the three had been drinking at one or more establishments in the hours preceding the crash. He said there also is the possibility that they had been at a private party.

"We're checking different places. We're talking to people. We're also looking at videotapes from different bars, seeing if we can spot these people drinking," Kim said yesterday. "If the person was drinking at a licensed establishment, we're going to trace the accident back there and if there is evidence, we will be giving a violation."

Based on the blood alcohol levels of Krzywonski and Albertsen, Kim said, the two "had to have been drinking quite a bit." He estimated that they each drank the equivalent of 10 to 12 beers that night.

Somebody, Kim said, should have stopped the three from continuing to drink. Short of that, he added, someone in their party should have prevented them from getting into a car.

"These were not strangers, these were friends," Kim said.

The commission's investigation into the crash and the moments leading up to it are part of an effort to show to the public why these accidents occur and how they can be prevented. Part of the "Trace" program involves a technical analysis of the incident that incorporates blood alcohol levels, road conditions, speed of the vehicle, and other factors.

"We want to explain accidents to people so they know how things are happening and why they're happening, rather than just saying, 'Oh, that was a bad accident because someone was drinking,' " Kim said.

In last week's crash, police estimated that Krzywonski was driving in excess of 100 mph. At that speed, Kim said, Krzywonski would have been covering 170 feet per second, giving him a "perception/reaction time" of 3 seconds to do something to avoid crashing into the barrier leading to the entrance of the Kane'ohe-bound tunnel.

But because he was so intoxicated, Kim said, Krzywonski had little chance of avoiding the crash.

"If you're going that fast and you've been drinking, you're basically setting an ambush for yourself and your passengers," Kim said.

Kim urged people to stop others from drinking and driving, even if it means calling the police.

"In the olden days this would be ratting out your friends," Kim said. "But if you're leaving a bar and you see your friend, and you know your friend has had a lot to drink and you see him weaving, pick up the phone and call 911. You may help that person avoid getting injured or dying."