Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Anchor Up Club & Grill? Here's What You Need To Know

For three decades, I've been holding bars accountable for over-serving alcohol. In the hundreds of cases I've handled, I've seen just how widespread irresponsible alcohol service is, as well as the tragedies that often follow in its wake. While people might see or hear about drunk driving accidents from time to time, rarely do they hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to draw more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to investigating the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you believe you may have a dram shop claim, please call my office at (855) 326-0000.

Anchor Up Club & Grill is located in Pottsboro, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2018, authorities conducted four separate investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.

In my experience, it's 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 contribute to an accident.

Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence of a violation, 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 Anchor Up Club & Grill for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Anchor Up Club & Grill Between 2015 and 2018

Pottsboro - 576 Highport Road

Allegations:

On 03/26/2015, a concerned citizen contacted the TABC, alleging that staff was drinking on the job. This type of allegation is more serious than it might appear on the surface. Staff has a legal obligation to stop serving alcohol to patrons who exhibit signs of being dangerously intoxicated. If staff is drinking, its ability to judge when to cut off service is impaired.

While the ensuing investigation failed to find any evidence to corroborate the initial claim, it did manage to find evidence that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk customer and a non-member, both of which authorities classified as administrative violations. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC closed the case on 05/16/2015.

Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 06/01/2016, claiming that the bar sold alcohol both to a minor and during prohibited hours, allowed staff to sell or possess drugs on the premises, and failed to report a breach of the peace (typically a fight).

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 07/28/2016.

A second law enforcement complaint, filed on 04/21/2018, alleged that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk customer and that a breach of the peace took place.

Investigators were able to determine that the bar served alcohol to a drunk customer (classified as both a criminal and administrative violation) and a non-member (an administrative violation). After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC concluded its work on the case on 06/10/2018.

The TABC received an anonymous complaint on 08/14/2018, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to a drunk person and allowing gambling on the premises.

As mentioned in a previous investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video footage to back up most claims of wrongdoing. Since authorities had no such evidence in this investigation, they could not take any action, leading to their decision to close the case on 09/24/2018.

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.