COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the St. Patrick’s Day holiday coinciding with the beginning of college basketball’s tournaments, the state agency that polices bars and restaurants with alcohol permits is reminding them not to “overserve” their customers.
It is illegal to “serve, sell or furnish” alcohol to someone who is intoxicated under state law and the Ohio Investigative Unit is recommending wait staff, bartenders and hosts of private parties be “proactive” by not serving people who are already drunk and “discouraging excessive consumption.”
“There is an element of personal responsibility, however, there is a responsibility on behalf of the bar or the party host not to serve alcohol to an already intoxicated person,” said Agent-in-Charge Eric Wolf.
Wolf warns that liquor permit holders also need to be on the lookout for underage customers attempting to purchase alcohol because the business can be held responsible and suffer consequences.
Last St. Patrick’s Day, Wolf says a 20-year-old driver and three passengers crashed into a Niles Police Department cruiser and then fled the scene. The driver was located a short distance away and had a blood-alcohol content of .177, more than twice the legal limit.
A “trace-back investigation” revealed that the driver and passengers had been served alcohol at a Youngstown bar.
The bartender was found guilty of furnishing alcohol to a minor and was fined $500. The bar owners could face administrative citations, including a fine, suspension or revocation of their liquor permit.