Bartender Fired For Alerting Police To Drunken Patron Getting Behind Wheel

[belimom]

This is ludicrous. I wonder what her boss would say if he had a family member/friends injured or killed by a drunk driver.

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Bartender Fired For Alerting Police To Drunken Patron Getting Behind Wheel


....“I called the police and said, ‘We have a very drunk person leaving the bar. He is going to kill someone or himself,’” the former bartender said.

Shelby Police Chief Charlie Roub said that one of his officers quickly located the driver and came to the same conclusion.

According to the police report, Mike Ramey blew a 0.167.....

....Two days later, DeVito said that she got a call from her boss.

“He said, ‘I’m going to have to fire you, because it’s bad for business to have a bartender that will call the cops,’” DeVito said.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...e-to-drunken-patron-getting-behind-wheel.html​

 

[Bree0372]

Firing a bartender for acting responsibly? Absurd!

Had the man had an accident and someone died, the owner could've been held responsible. Perhaps she she be thankful that her bartender made the call.

 

[tlcya]

“If every patron who comes in here has to worry about the cops waiting for them when they leave, the place would be empty,” said Mic Hubbard

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...e-to-drunken-patron-getting-behind-wheel.html

Know what else is bad business, mister bossman?

Over serving or encouraging/allowing the over serving of patrons.

Oh, know what else is bad business?

Drunken patrons leaving your establishment and causing harm to another, which you are liable for in civil court under Ohio dram shop laws.

Lawsuits for wrongful death can be pretty darn bad for business too.

Just sayin.

 

[Ballerina]

This is absurd. I think people would avoid the bar for the owner's termination of this bartender, not because they feel the bartender "snitched" on this guy. I'd rather go to a bar where if I got too sloshed to drive and still insisted on driving, someone would call the cops on me. Sure, a DUI would be a pain in the behind to deal with legally. But I'll take that pain in my butt over the pain and permanent guilt of knowing that I stupidly drove drunk and ended someone's life (or my own!!).

If this is how that particular bar feels about drunk driving, how do I know other aspects of my safety would be protected at that bar? How do I know a bartender won't witness a man slipping something into my drink, and that bartender can't tell me because "it could be bad for business"? Sorry, but I'd rather give my money to a business who values morality.

 

[belimom]

This site has excellent advice about the ways to deal with a drunk patron who attempts to drive home drunk:

Dealing with Drunk Customers at Your Bar

 

[CHERIE.T]

Ridiculous.

 

[Cubby]

Who served the customer until the customer became that intoxicated?
In my area it is against the law to serve anyone visibly intoxicated or a known alcoholic.

Why did the guy continue serving the customer until he became too drunk to drive?

I think the bottom line here is quite possible the bar tender should have stopped serving him much sooner if he didn't enter the place already extremely intoxicated. In which case, if he arrived that intoxicated and he had no drinks at this establishment, I have no problem with the bar tender calling the police.

 

[tlcya]

The bartender arrived at work for her shift to find the customer there, already over served. She attempted to convey to him that he had had enough and when he went to drive off tried to convince him not to drive. When he did anyway, she called cops.

Sounds like this establishment encourages letting regulars slide. The bartender couldn't do that in good conscious.

 

[belimom]

The bartender arrived at work for her shift to find the customer there, already over served. She attempted to convey to him that he had had enough and when he went to drive off tried to convince him not to drive. When he did anyway, she called cops.

Sounds like this establishment encourages letting regulars slide. The bartender couldn't do that in good conscious.

I also think she tried to "slow" things down with him - she did serve him one more beer according to the article I quoted above, then tried to slow it down although she doesn't make it clear what she did to slow it down - stop serving him?

I find it interesting that Ohio (where this took place) does not have a law requiring bartenders to report drunken drivers but there is one that bans them from serving someone who is intoxicated.

 

[tlcya]

I found it interesting that violating the Dram Shop Act seems to be taken pretty lightly in Ohio

How serious is a dram shop act violation in Ohio?
Violations of dram shop ordinances by business establishments are considered to be only a minor offense in the state of Ohio. Offenders are usually subjected to a fee ranging from $25 to $100.

However, business owners who violate dram shop laws may be subjected to other penalties in a court of law, including punitive damages in severe cases. Punitive damages are intended to deter unlawful conduct and can sometimes involve very large monetary amounts.

http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/ohio-dram-shop-laws.html

might explain why the management of this establishment would appear to take it lightly and discourage their employees from acting responsibly.

 

[Sonya610]

If the bartender did everything possible to PREVENT him from leaving, if she offered to arrange for a ride etc....and if the customer KNEW she was going to do something like call the cops and he absolutely refused then I would feel some sympathy for her.

But if she basically didn't say/do anything and then ran to call 911 when he left then I feel she did NOT do her job and yes it would have a negative effect on the business. Customers don't want to worry that the nice friendly bartender who keeps pouring and taking tips is going to call the cops the moment they walk out the door.

The article doesn't really say anything about how the business tried to manage the situation before the 911 call.

 

[Ballerina]

If the bartender did everything possible to PREVENT him from leaving, if she offered to arrange for a ride etc....and if the customer KNEW she was going to do something like call the cops and he absolutely refused then I would feel some sympathy for her.

But if she basically didn't say/do anything and then ran to call 911 when he left then I feel she did NOT do her job and yes it would have a negative effect on the business. Customers don't want to worry that the nice friendly bartender who keeps pouring and taking tips is going to call the cops the moment they walk out the door.

The article doesn't really say anything about how the business tried to manage the situation before the 911 call.

I understand what you're saying. But would you rather the bartender didn't call 911 if she saw someone who was way beyond the legal attempt and just allowed him to drive while risking his life and the lives of others? I don't mean that with any snark! I'm simply wondering how you feel about it if you feel she didn't do her job properly.

I get that customers wouldn't want to have a bartender who's a "snitch". I really do. But I feel like this may have been a different circumstance, especially since the patron in question wasn't brought to his state of drunkenness at that bartender's own hand. Plus, maybe she did try to "slow him down" as the article says- maybe she did try to call him a cab or something. We don't really know too many details with this unfortunately.

 

[miimaa]

For what it's worth -- I live in a rural area and the local bar is a place for people to gather, share news, host various parties (the hub as the only other places here are a post office, two churches and a gas station). Everyone knows everyone kind of place. When someone has had too much to drink the bar owner brings him home or has one of his employees bring the person home. If that is not possible we have a local guy that will bring people home for $10 or $20. The bartender has taken people's keys from them and the drunk has to find a ride or walk home - keys can be picked up the next day.

Whether you agree or not -in this area if a bartender called 911 on a regular patron she would be fired as well.

 

[4Jacy]

My hat is off to the bartender, you did the right and moral thing!

 

[Sonya610]

I understand what you're saying. But would you rather the bartender didn't call 911 if she saw someone who was way beyond the legal attempt and just allowed him to drive while risking his life and the lives of others? I don't mean that with any snark! I'm simply wondering how you feel about it if you feel she didn't do her job properly.

I get that customers wouldn't want to have a bartender who's a "snitch". I really do. But I feel like this may have been a different circumstance, especially since the patron in question wasn't brought to his state of drunkenness at that bartender's own hand. Plus, maybe she did try to "slow him down" as the article says- maybe she did try to call him a cab or something. We don't really know too many details with this unfortunately.

I would expect the establishment to do whatever they could (arrange for a ride, tell the man he has had too much to drink and should NOT drive, offer to give the guy some food on the house, etc...) BEFORE they over serve and then call 911. The man was over-served at THAT BAR it doesn't matter if her coworker was pouring.

As the bar owner if a bartender did NOT do everything possible (including asking the other staff and regular patrons for assistance) I would fire them.

 

[miimaa]

This was a VFW and the guy was on the board of directors? Should have called a taxi and saved everybody a lot of trouble.

 

[oh_gal]

Amazing that it's HER fault that HE choose to drink too much. But that's the way it is nowadays...it's someone else is always responsible for our actions.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

It wasn't a VFW. It was an American Legion. I know there isn't much difference - but here in my town there is. We have both a VFW and a Legion within blocks of each other. The V (as we call it) is much bigger, much cleaner, has a kitchen and a full menu. The Legion is (and this is JMHO) is a dive. They don't clean it up and pretty much allow anyone in there - member or not. While people overdrink in both places - the Legion tends to let things "slide" if you will - more than the V. While both posts have a bikers club - the Legion is what I would call a "biker bar". Sometimes it can be a scary place. I personally know one barmaid who quit working at the Legion because the bikers were getting a little too "handsy" with her and when she complained she got in trouble. Yep.............

I applaud this bartender. My DD - who is in the business - says that she now just upped her stock and will probably get a much better gig at a lot "classier" place.

The fact that he was an officer - I will bet the house that THAT is what got her fired. He probably drinks there very often and has never been "questioned" about his ability to drive when he leaves. How dare she call the cops on him?

Sadly, this is just the way of the world nowadays.



JMHO

 

[redheadedgal]

The article doesn't really say anything about how the business tried to manage the situation before the 911 call.

As the bar owner if a bartender did NOT do everything possible (including asking the other staff and regular patrons for assistance) I would fire them.

Should have called a taxi and saved everybody a lot of trouble.

a google search leads to other articles that provide more info

no taxi service. no one offered to drive him home.

she did what she should've done imo.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...r-calling-cops-drunk-driver-article-1.1275143

 

[Snick1946]

Maybe MADD or some similar group needs to picket this place..