• 27
  • July
    2011

The family of a 23-year-old man who died in a single-vehicle accident in Atascocita on April 27 recently filed a wrongful death suit against the bar...

The wrongful death suit arises from an incident in which several young patrons-ages 23, 21, and 23-died in a drunken driving accident after leaving the Hoot County Saloon in Humble. The vehicle reportedly veered off the road and crashed into a metal pole, ejecting two passengers from the vehicle and fatally injuring another.

The parents of the victim said in their filing that the bar served alcohol to their son when he was already intoxicated, alleging that the bar was grossly negligent in its violation of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. According to the filings, the bar is liable for "serving alcohol to an intoxicated person to the extent he was a clear danger to himself and others." The bar is accused of failing to assist customers who may be a danger to themselves or others, failing to properly train employees, failure to monitor its parking lot to ensure intoxicated customer were warned not to leave the property.

Sources said the man's parents are also suing the server who provided the 23-year-old man and his friends with alcohol on the night of the incident.

In response to the petition, Hoot County Saloon filed a general denial of the claims, and said that it had complied with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. In particular, the bar says that it had trained its employees to attend a seller training program, and that it did not directly or indirectly encourage the violation of the statute.

Hoot County Saloon operates several establishments in the Greater Houston area.

Source: yourhoustonnews.com, "Crash victim's parents take Hoot County Saloon to court in wrongful death suit," Stefanie Thomas, 20 July 2011.