In a follow-up to a story we published in February, 705BLACKFLY.COM has learned that Kelsey’s Restaurant in Huntsville has agreed to a liquor license suspension for over-service of alcohol leading to a fatal car accident.
The statement we received today from The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario reads:
“Liquor licensees in Ontario are required to meet their obligations for the safe and responsible sale of alcohol and have a specific duty not to serve customers who are or appear to be intoxicated.
As noted in the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) News Release, an establishment served with a Notice of Proposal (NOP) has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.
Kelsey’s Restaurant (1773731 Ontario Ltd.) waived its right to a LAT hearing. The AGCO and Kelsey’s subsequently reached a settlement in which this establishment will serve a 45-day liquor sales license suspension starting March 18, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. and ending May 2, 2024, at 2:00 a.m.”
On November 4, 2022, Kelsey’s Huntsville allegedly served a customer 18 shots of liquor over approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. During that period, the customer showed increasing signs of intoxication, yet the staff continued serving alcohol to the customer until closing time. The customer left the establishment after the last call and drove away in a vehicle. Within minutes, the customer was involved in a fatal single-vehicle accident.
In a news release last month, the AGCO said, “The AGCO holds liquor licensees to high standards for the safe and responsible sale of alcohol. Liquor license holders must ensure their customers are not served to intoxication or permit intoxication on their premises. It is the responsibility of all licensees to ensure their staff are properly trained to recognize the signs of intoxication.”
“All liquor license holders in Ontario are required to meet their obligations for the safe and responsible sale of alcohol,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of the AGCO. “Licence holders have a specific duty not to serve customers who are or appear to be intoxicated and have a responsibility to prevent such tragic events from happening.”
