Considering A Dram Shop Case Against 4th and Goal Winghouse? Here's What You Need To Know
I've been suing irresponsible bars for over-serving alcohol for 30 years. My experience handling hundreds of cases has repeatedly shown me just how many bars fail to follow alcohol service regulations, as well as the tragedies that all too often result. While people might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, they don't tend to hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to reviewing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and have questions about how to proceed, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.
4th and Goal Winghouse has locations in both Horizon City and El Paso, Texas. While most of its visitors come to eat and catch a game at the bar, the TABC has also come knocking on a number of occasions in recent years due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2016 and 2019, authorities conducted four investigations into alcohol service practices at 4th and Goal Winghouse.
In my experience, it is uncommon for a bar without a history of run-ins with the TABC to end up on the hook for contributing to a wrongful death or injury. Virtually every bar I have ever sued was already on the authorities' radar. That's why I pay close attention to bars with several recent complaints against them. The more investigations a bar has had, the greater my concern is that it could one day cause 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 4th and Goal Winghouse for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of 4th and Goal Winghouse
Horizon City - 14010 Horizon Boulevardsuite F And G
Allegations:
Law enforcement filed a complaint with the TABC on 10/30/2016, alleging that the bar allowed customers to consume alcohol during prohibited hours.
Authorities followed up soon thereafter with an investigation. 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. In this particular instance, authorities had neither. As a result, the case came to a close on 12/06/2016.
On 11/19/2018, law enforcement contacted the TABC once again and claimed that a breach of the peace occurred (which the bar allegedly failed to report), and that staff sold alcohol to a drunk patron.
The ensuing investigation uncovered evidence of three administrative violations: two breaches of the peace (one of them aggravated) and one failure to report a breach of the peace. After handing down unspecified penalties for the offenses, authorities closed this case on 02/06/2019.
Another law enforcement complaint came on 02/01/2019, claiming that the bar permitted patrons to drink alcohol during prohibited hours.
TABC agents looked into the allegation, but they were unable to find any proof of wrongdoing. With no other course of action available, authorities decided to shut the case on 02/26/2019.
El Paso - 1550 Hawkins Blvd Ste 2-4
Allegations:
On 10/20/2017, an anonymous source claimed that staff was drinking on the job and that the bar employed someone under the age of 18 to handle alcohol.
As stated in an earlier investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to determine the veracity of most claims of wrongdoing. As there was no such evidence available in this case, authorities could not take any action. Consequently, they decided to wrap up their work on this investigation on 12/14/2017.
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.
