Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Club Rio and Pure? 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.
Club Rio and Pure is a night club located in Corpus Christi, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC on numerous occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2018 and 2020, authorities conducted no fewer than six investigations into the club's alcohol service practices.
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 Club Rio and Pure for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Club Rio and Pure Between 2018 and 2020
Corpus Christi - 5922 S Staples Street 'B1'
Allegations:
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 07/19/2018, claiming that the club sold alcohol to an intoxicated patron.
Authorities looked into the matter shortly thereafter. Even when the source of a complaint is a police officer, 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 09/19/2018.
On 09/28/2018, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the club sold alcohol to a minor.
As mentioned in the 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 12/01/2018.
A member of the Corpus Christi community reached out to the TABC on 03/29/2019, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to a minor.
TABC agents conducted an inquiry, but due to a lack of video evidence, they could not determine the veracity of the claim. As a result, investigators could not take any further action, leading to their decision to close the case on 05/23/2019.
A second law enforcement complaint reached the TABC on 11/06/2019, accusing the club of selling alcohol to a minor.
The ensuing investigation failed to turn up any hard evidence of a criminal or administrative violation, which left authorities unable to take any action. Consequently, the TABC decided to close the case on 01/08/2020.
An anonymous complaint reached the TABC on 02/05/2020, alleging that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred and that the bar failed to report it (a separate violation in itself).
After nearly two months of work, authorities were able to confirm both allegations, which they classified as administrative violations. The TABC ultimately decided against handing down any punishment, instead choosing to close the case without any further action on 03/28/2020.
On 02/18/2020, a citizen complaint reached the TABC, claiming that the club allowed a minor to both purchase and consume alcohol.
The subsequent investigation was not successful at determining the validity of the allegations. Left with no other course of action, the TABC concluded its efforts on the case on 04/10/2020.
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.
