COLUMBUS — The Ohio Civil Rights Commission voted unanimously Thursday to uphold a finding against the Applebee's restaurant in Springfield, saying it turned away a group of customers based on race.

Sixteen college and high school friends went to Applebee's around 10 p.m. Feb. 9, 2007, waited more than 30 minutes to be seated but were then told they would have to leave because "you people" didn't pay their bills in a previous visit, the civil rights investigation said. Some of the students offered to pay for their meals in advance but were still told to leave or the police would be called.

The commission found that Applebee's action was a pretext for discrimination against the group based on race.

"I want the truth to come out and I wouldn't want any other person or groups of people to go through what our kids went through," said Maria Averhart of Springfield. Her daughter, Asia, was among those turned away for service.

Bothered about how they were treated, the students and their parents hired Dayton attorney James R. Greene III and filed charges of discrimination with the commission.

Michael Hawkins, attorney for the restaurant, told the commission that a rowdy, obnoxious group of black and white customers caused trouble at the restaurant a few weeks before Feb. 9, 2007. The general manager decided they wouldn't be served again. That night a waitress noticed some of the rowdy individuals within the group and notified her manager, Hawkins said.

"Race was not a factor. It was not a reason for denial of service," Hawkins said.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.