Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Killen's Barbecue? Here's What You Need To Know
I've held more bars accountable for irresponsible alcohol service practices than any other lawyer in Texas. The hundreds of cases I've handled over the last 30 years have shown me just how many bars regularly over-serve their patrons, not to mention the tragic consequences that often result. While the public might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, it is less common to hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate part 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 might have a dram shop (liquor liability) case, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.
Killen's Barbecue is a restaurant located in Pearland, Texas. In recent years, it has received a substantial amount of attention from the TABC due to a number of complaints alleging liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities conducted three separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Killen's Barbecue.
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 contribute to an accident.
Note: Investigations are not evidence that a bar has broken the law. Investigators must have sufficient proof that there was a violation of TABC regulations in order to take legal action. Owing to the nature of liquor law violations, that proof can often be difficult for authorities to obtain. The purpose of this article is simply to relay publicly-available information about incidents where the TABC has investigated Killen's Barbecue for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Killen's Barbecue Between 2017 & 2019
Pearland - 3613 E Broadway
Allegations:
On 04/10/2017, the TABC received a complaint from a concerned citizen who alleged that the restaurant sold alcohol to a minor.
TABC agents looked into the matter and found sufficient evidence to prove that an administrative violation took place. After handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities closed the case on 05/13/2017.
A member of the Pearland community filed a complaint with the TABC on 06/25/2018, again charging the restaurant with selling alcohol to a minor.
Authorities followed up soon after 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 07/27/2018.
On 07/01/2019, yet another citizen complaint brought the TABC back to investigate a third allegation of selling alcohol to a minor.
As in the previous investigation, authorities failed to locate any corroborating evidence and thus could not take any action. On 07/05/2019, they wrapped up their work on the case.
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.
