Bennigan's may face sanctions over service
Posted on 01/15/2003 8:45:04 PM PST by MeekOneGOP
Bennigan's may face sanctions over service
Restaurant gave alcohol to 3 teens before death of waitress, state says
01/16/2003
A Bennigan's restaurant in Irving where a waitress was killed Jan. 3 might face administrative sanctions for serving alcohol to three underage patrons whom the waitress was chasing for not paying their bill, the state's liquor control agency said Wednesday.
If the restaurant is found to have violated state law, it could face suspension or cancellation of its liquor license, or a fine of up to $25,000 per day, said Sgt. John Busby, a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission spokesman.
A TABC news release stated that the Bennigan's at 4300 W. Airport Freeway paid a $1,050 fine in 1998 for serving alcohol to underage drinkers.
A spokeswoman for Bennigan's released a brief statement reiterating the company's intention to work with investigators.
"We will continue to fully cooperate with both of these organizations to find answers to outstanding questions regarding the incident," the release said.
Sgt. Busby also said criminal charges would be filed against a 26-year-old companion for supplying liquor to three underage drinkers before they arrived at Bennigan's.
Michael John Prewitt is being sought on a misdemeanor theft of service charge for leaving the Bennigan's without paying a $131 tab. Nineteen-year-olds Kortnie Ann Henson and David W. Thornton face the same theft charge.
Mr. Prewitt's 19-year-old girlfriend, Sarah Haven Foust, who police said was the driver of the car that struck and fatally injured waitress Jennifer Sanchez in the Bennigan's parking lot, is jailed on a murder charge in lieu of $100,552 bail. A bail reduction hearing for Ms. Foust is scheduled for Thursday.
Records show that Mr. Prewitt was arrested and jailed in 1998 in Denton County on suspicion of providing alcohol to a minor, but no charges were filed.
Irving police have said that there were alcohol purchases on the bill amassed by Mr. Prewitt and the teenagers, but they have declined to provide details, including whether the teens had been drinking.
The TABC said Wednesday that the three teenagers and Mr. Prewitt were in Bennigan's for about an hour and that the three 19-year-olds consumed alcohol while they were in the restaurant.
Sgt. Busby, whose agency has been investigating the incident along with the Irving Police Department, declined to comment beyond the statement announcing the alcohol commission's preliminary findings.
"I just can't comment any further because at this time we still have an ongoing investigation," he said.
Irving police spokesman Officer David Tull could not be reached Wednesday.
E-mail smcgonigle@dallasnews.com
A Bennigan's restaurant in Irving where a waitress was killed Jan. 3 might face administrative sanctions for serving alcohol to three underage patrons whom the waitress was chasing for not paying their bill, the state's liquor control agency said Wednesday.
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Records show that Mr. Prewitt was arrested and jailed in 1998 in Denton County on suspicion of providing alcohol to a minor, but no charges were filed.
I bet they served the 26 YO and he was passing it to the the teens. Maybe, or maybe not. Well see.
Related to this story...
| Chance encounter with troubled teens left waitress dead (Bennigan's Irving vehicular assault murder) |
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I think the 26-year-old companion provided the 'pre-party' where they all got hammered and decided to skiptab at Brenigan's.
It took Bennigan's almost 2 weeks to decode the receipt.
Bennigan's serves those loser teens alcohol then has the nerve to have that poor waitress chase after them to get license info.
My friends in the food and drink biz on Cape Cod used to call it "chew and screw".
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