Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Bar 69? Here's What You Need To Know
I've sued more reckless bars for failing to adhere to liquor laws than anyone else in the state of Texas. With three decades of experience and hundreds of cases behind me, I have seen just how frequently bars put profit before safety and over-serve alcohol, in spite of their legal obligation to serve responsibly. While people might see or hear of drunk driving accidents from time to time, they don't tend to hear as much about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. In order to raise more awareness of this topic, I spend a portion of my time researching the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint database and writing about my findings here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim, don't hesitate to call my office at (855) 326-0000.
Bar 69 is located in Bryan, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted an enormous amount of attention from the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. In 2019 alone, authorities conducted no fewer than 11 investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.
In my three decades of legal practice, rarely have I seen bar end up involved in a wrongful death or injury case that didn't have a history of complaints on file with TABC. Almost every bar I've ever sued was already on the authorities radar, so when I see a bar that has been investigated several times over a short period, it raises my concern that it could one day play a part in an accident.
Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence, it doesn't necessarily mean an establishment is innocent, either. The purpose of this article is simply to relay publicly-available information about incidents where the TABC has investigated Bar 69 for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Bar 69 in 2019
Bryan - 408 N Bryan Avenue
Allegations:
Law enforcement filed a complaint with the TABC on 03/09/2019, alleging that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) took place.
Upon investigation, authorities determined that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace, which they classified as an administrative violation. After issuing the bar a written warning, authorities closed the case on 03/27/2019.
A second law enforcement complaint on 03/28/2019 alleged multiple violations took place, including an unreported breach of the peace and two counts of selling alcohol to an intoxicated person.
An investigation ensued, but only found evidence that an unreported breach of the peace occurred. After handing down an unspecified penalty, on 05/13/2019, authorities closed the case.
The same day that the previous investigation ended (05/13/2019), the TABC received another law enforcement complaint that alleged the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
After looking into the matter, the TABC failed to uncover any evidence of a violation. As a result, investigators closed the case on 05/16/2019.
Law enforcement reached out to the TABC on 06/04/2019 and accused the bar of two counts of selling alcohol to an intoxicated person.
While the investigation that followed failed to find evidence to back up the initial allegations, it did find evidence of other administrative violations. After issuing two written warnings, the TABC closed the case on 07/18/2019.
On 09/03/2019, law enforcement filed a complaint that claimed that a breach of the peace took place and that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Authorities looked into the matter, but did not find evidence to support the initial claims. However, they did manage to find proof that the bar permitted the removal of alcohol from the premises. The bar received an unspecified penalty, with the TABC subsequently closing the case on 10/10/2019.
Law enforcement filed another complaint on 09/12/2019, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Authorities did not find evidence to support the initial allegation, but they did issue the bar a warning for failing to provide records in a timely manner. On 11/07/2019, they brought the case to a close.
On 10/24/2019, law enforcement contacted the TABC, claiming that the bar permitted a minor to possess or consume alcohol.
After looking into the matter, authorities found evidence to confirm the allegation, for which the TABC issued an unspecified penalty. In addition, a second penalty was handed down as a result of the bar's failure to provide investigators with records in a timely manner. On 11/15/2019, the case came to a close.
Law enforcement got in touch with the TABC on 11/22/2019, alleging that a breach of the peace went unreported and that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
The TABC conducted an inquiry into the claims, but only found evidence to support the first one, which it classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities closed the case on 01/08/2020.
On 11/25/2019, a concerned citizen contacted the TABC, alleging that the bar permitted a minor to consume alcohol and that an unreported breach of the peace took place.
The subsequent investigation found evidence to support the claim that a breach of the peace occurred, which authorities classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities closed the case on 01/09/2020.
Law enforcement filed a TABC complaint on 12/12/2019, claiming the bar allowed a minor to possess or consume alcohol.
Authorities looked into the matter shortly thereafter. For most liquor law violations, the TABC requires either video footage of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents in order to take action. Having neither in this investigation, authorities decided to close the case on 12/23/2019.
Texas Law Says Accident Victims Can Sue Bad Bars
If you would like to learn more about Texas dram shop law (i.e. lawsuits against bars who play a role in injurious or fatal accidents), please visit our Texas Dram Shop Law Info Page.
