Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Oil Patch Cafe and Steakhouse? Here's What You Need To Know

My firm has handled more liquor liability (dram shop) cases than anyone else in Texas. With over 30 years of practice behind me, I can attest to just how many bars regularly fail to adhere to alcohol service laws, particularly when it comes to their obligation to refuse service to patrons who are already drunk. While the public might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, it is much less common for it to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. In order to increase people's awareness of this problem, I dedicate a portion of my time to researching the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint database 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, please call me at (855) 326-0000.

Oil Patch Cafe and Steakhouse is located in Andrews, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted a significant amount of attention from the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. In 2019 alone, authorities conducted five separate investigations into the restaurant'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 Oil Patch Cafe and Steakhouse for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Oil Patch Cafe and Steakhouse in 2019

Andrews - 1613 W Broadway Street

Allegations:

Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 04/10/2019, claiming that staff was drinking on the job and that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.

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 05/29/2019.

A second law enforcement complaint came on 05/29/2019, alleging that a breach of the peace took place and that the bar served alcohol to an intoxicated person.

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 07/20/2019.

On 08/28/2019, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with 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.

Due to a lack of video evidence, investigators could not determine the veracity of the claim. Unable to take any action, they had no choice but to close the case, which they did on 09/24/2019.

The TABC received another law enforcement complaint on 09/24/2019, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a minor.

Upon investigating, authorities found evidence to support the allegation, which they classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, the TABC closed the case on 10/31/2019.

A further law enforcement complaint, placed on 11/07/2019, alleged that a breach of the peace occurred.

Even when a police officer is the source of a complaint, the TABC still requires corroborating evidence before taking action. As investigators had none on this occasion, they decided to close the case on 02/25/2020.

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.