Considering A Dram Shop Case Against District 249 Bar & Grill? 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.

District 249 Bar & Grill is located in Tomball, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2020, authorities conducted four separate investigations into the bar'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 District 249 Bar & Grill for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of District 249 Bar & Grill Between 2017 and 2020

Tomball - 23238 Tomball Parkway

Allegations:

On 10/30/2017, a concerned citizen contacted the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a minor.

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 12/18/2017.

Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 05/03/2018, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, permitted a minor to possess or consume alcohol, and that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred, which the bar failed to report (a separate violation in itself).

As mentioned in the previous investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video footage to back up most claims of wrongdoing - even when the source of a complaint is a police officer. Since authorities had no such evidence in this investigation, they could not take any action, leading to their decision to close the case on 06/26/2018.

A member of the Tomball community reached out to the TABC on 07/06/2018, accusing the bar of selling alcohol both to a minor and during prohibited hours.

While the ensuing investigation failed to find any evidence to support the initial allegations, it did manage to uncover evidence that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, which authorities classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC closed the case on 07/17/2018.

The TABC received a citizen complaint on 05/14/2020, accusing the bar of miscellaneous violations.

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 05/20/2020.

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.