Fanatics Sports Bar, 7601 East Brainerd Road is closing immediately. However, Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman told the beer board on Thursday that the city code does not allow a beer license to be surrendered when there is an outstanding violation. The hearing planned for the meeting on Thursday was to deal with a violation that occurred March 10, 2014 where a customer who was involved in one-car crash, died after leaving the bar.
It was clearly a case of over-serving with a tragic outcome, said Mr. Reisman, who summarized the case for the beer board. John Woodlee arrived at the bar at 2:43 p.m. and left at 8:13 p.m. In that time, he was served and consumed at least 18 alcoholic drinks, a combination of 10 “Fireball” shots, four “Angry Birds” hard ale, and four beers. At 6:43 p.m. one server cut him off from being served more alcohol, yet he was seen on the video surveillance drinking another shot and another beer after that. Some of the servers changed shifts during that time, but a manager, Angie Mercer, was there the entire time Mr. Woodlee was in the bar.
Mr. Woodlee paid his bill and left without getting a substantial amount of change. He exited the bar at 8:13 p.m. The video shows the assistant manager watching as he stumbled to his car and did nothing to stop him from driving. After managing to get into the vehicle, the accident occurred at 8:17 p.m. when he backed out across the lot hitting three cars and then drove forward, hitting a light. An autopsy showed he died of blunt force trauma and that his blood alcohol level was .179 percent, two times the legal limit for driving.
Just five days prior to this incident, the beer license for this business had been suspended because of another violation that involved employees drinking while on duty. The owner, Barry Vandiver, told the board that he was shuttering the bar because business had gone down so much and was losing money since the two incidents and he could not afford to invest any more to keep it going.
Revocation of the license goes with the property, and it was noted that if the owners were to open a business at a different location, the beer board could consider the action taken today when deciding whether to issue another permit.
Two special events beer permits were given by the board on Thursday. Jennifer Berz, race director for the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon sponsored by the Chattanooga Track Club received a permit for both a volunteer party on Friday, June 26 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and for Sunday, the day of the race, for participants and volunteers. This after party will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
A special event combining Nightfall and the Bessie Smith Cultural Center will be held July 3. The coordinated event in part is due to rain closing down the Bessie Smith Strut last week. The volunteers who had planned on selling beer at the Strut were all invited to participate by setting up on the lawn at the Bessie Smith Hall. Three have accepted said Dionne Jennings, executive director. The band Sound Advice will perform at the Bessie Smith Hall from 5-8 p.m. and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble will perform at Miller Plaza from 7-10 p.m. The festivities will also include performances by the Eclectic Movement dancers. Carnival games, and food and beer will be available in the two blocks between the bands.
New consumer/carryout beer permits were given to Mojo Burrito at 3950 Tennessee Ave. which is moving across the street to a larger location from where it has been for 13 years and for the second location of Heaven and Ale at Cambridge Square, 9431 Bradmore Lane. Porker’s BBQ, 1251 Market St. and Black Skillet Sports Bar and Grill, 4010 Rossville Blvd. were both approved for consumer permits. A carryout beer license was given to Ritmo Caliente, a store selling groceries, at 5813 Lee Hwy.