Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Fast Stop? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has sued more bars for liquor law violations than any other in Texas. In my over 30 years of experience, I have repeatedly seen just how serious the consequences can be when bars over-serve alcohol. While the public might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, it's much less common to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. One of my goals is to raise awareness about the extent of this problem. To this end, I dedicate some of my time to investigating Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and reporting what I find here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and would like to learn about how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Fast Stop is a convenience store located in Hereford, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. In 2018 alone, authorities conducted two separate investigations into the store's alcohol sales 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 Fast Stop for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Fast Stop in 2018
Hereford - 301 N 25 Mile Ave
Allegations:
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 04/20/2018, alleging that the store sold alcohol to a minor.
Upon investigation, authorities were able to confirm the allegation, which they classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. The offending party was offered deferred adjudication and received probation for the criminal violation, while the TABC decided not to punish the store for the administrative violation. On 06/05/2018, the case came to a close.
A second law enforcement complaint, filed on 08/16/2018, accused the store of selling alcohol to a drunk person.
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 10/11/2018.
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.
