Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Wonders Bar & Grill? Here's What You Need To Know
For three decades, I've been holding bars accountable for over-serving alcohol. In the hundreds of cases I've handled, I've seen just how widespread irresponsible alcohol service is, as well as the tragedies that often follow in its wake. While people might see or hear about drunk driving accidents from time to time, rarely do they hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to draw more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to investigating the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you believe you may have a dram shop claim, please call my office at (855) 326-0000.
Wonders Bar & Grill is a sports bar located in Corpus Christi, Texas. While it is known to local sports fans as a great spot to catch a game, the TABC knows it for the significant number of complaints against it alleging liquor law violations. Over just a two-year period, authorities have conducted no fewer than six investigations to alcohol service practices at Wonders Bar & Grill.
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 Wonders Bar & Grill for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Wonders Bar & Grill Between 2018 and 2019
Corpus Christi - 4733 S Alameda Street
Allegations:
A concerned citizen filed a complaint with TABC on 05/29/2018, alleging that the bar served alcohol to both a patron who was already over the limit and to a patron under the age of 21.
Authorities looked into the matter, finding sufficient evidence to issue citations for both a criminal and administrative violation for serving alcohol to a minor. For some reason, the TABC handed down no penalty for the violations, deciding instead to close the case on 06/11/2018.
On 06/20/2018, a member of the Corpus Christi community contacted the TABC and alleged that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk patron in addition to allowing a customer to remove alcohol from the premises.
For most liquor law violations, the TABC requires either video evidence of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents. However, in this particular instance, it had neither. On 08/15/2018, authorities closed this case without further action.
A citizen complaint, placed on 09/06/2018, charged the bar with serving and permitting a minor to consume alcohol.
The TABC conducted an investigation into the claims, but it failed to turn up any video evidence. Unable to determine the veracity of the allegations, agents decided to shut this case on 11/02/2018.
A law enforcement officer reached out to the TABC on 12/06/2018 and claimed that the bar sold alcohol to a patron who was already intoxicated.
The fact that a cop was the source of the complaint made no difference; the only evidence that the TABC can use is video footage or its own agents' testimony. Having neither of those (and thus unable to take any action), agents ended their efforts on 01/24/2019.
On 05/16/2019, a citizen complaint alerted the TABC to another alleged set of violations: sale of alcohol to a minor, a breach of the peace (typically a fight), failure to report a breach of the peace, and sale of alcohol to an intoxicated customer.
After over two months of investigation, authorities did not discover any hard proof of wrongdoing. Unable to take any further action, they decided to stop working on this case on 07/18/2019.
Law enforcement placed a complaint on 09/03/2019, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated customer.
Due to a lack of video evidence, the ensuing investigation could not establish the validity of the claim. On 11/06/2019, authorities wrapped up their work on this 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.
