Ontario restaurant in trouble for allegedly serving customer 18 shots before fatal crash

A Kelseys restaurant in Huntsville, Ontario, is facing a two-month liquor licence suspension over its alleged involvement in a 2022 impaired driving incident that left a customer dead.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced on Wednesday that it had issued a Notice of Proposal (NOP) for a 60-day liquor sales licence suspension of Kelseys Original Roadhouse at 111 Howland Drive in Huntsville for alleged violations of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019.

The proposed suspension stems from a November 4, 2022 incident in which a customer was allegedly served 18 shots of alcohol at the establishment over the span of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes.

During that period, the AGCO alleges that "the customer showed increasing signs of intoxication, yet staff continued serving alcohol to the customer until closing time."

The customer left the restaurant after last call — a dozen and a half shots deep — and drove away in a car. Tragically, the customer was killed in a major single-vehicle accident just minutes after leaving the establishment. 

In its Wednesday statement, the AGCO says that its registrar and CEO, Dr. Karin Schnarr, "has reason to believe that several violations of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 (LLCA) and its Regulations occurred at this establishment."

Liquor licensees are responsible for safe consumption at their establishments, and are required to ensure customers are not served to the point of intoxication or permit intoxication on their premises.

"All liquor licence holders in Ontario are required to meet their obligations for the safe and responsible sale of alcohol," said Dr. Schnarr.

"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."

The restaurant will have the right to appeal the action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, which operates independently of the AGCO and is part of Tribunals Ontario.