Bars Investigated by the TABC

Philly Station Investigated by TABC

Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Philly Station? 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.

Philly Station is a bar located in Angleton, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2018, authorities conducted five 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 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 Philly Station for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Philly Station Between 2015 and 2018


Angleton - 1414 S Velasco Street

Allegations:

Law enforcement filed a complaint with the TABC on 10/06/2015, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated 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 11/03/2015.

A second law enforcement complaint reached the TABC on 01/30/2016, alleging that the bar sold 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 03/11/2016.

On 03/21/2016, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to a drunk customer.

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 03/22/2016.

A member of the Angleton community reached out to the TABC on 03/30/2017, again claiming that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.

The ensuing investigation found sufficient evidence to support the allegation, which authorities classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, the TABC closed the case on 04/19/2017.

The next citizen complaint to reach the TABC came on 05/18/2018, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk customer.

After nearly a month and a half of investigation, authorities still had not managed to uncover any evidence to support the allegation. Left with no other option, the TABC decided to conclude its work on 07/03/2018.

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.