Underage Drinking Penalized
State Liquor Authority Suspends Pearl River Bar's License for Serving Minors
A Pearl River sports bar has had its liquor license suspended after police found up to 100 patrons inside — most of them underage — with some as young as 16 drinking alcohol, according to lohud. The New York State Liquor Authority acted after a 16-year-old girl was found unconscious and severely intoxicated outside the bar the following day.
Hudson West Sports Bar & Grill, located at 50 East Central Avenue in Pearl River, now faces charges that carry a maximum penalty of full license revocation, The Times Herald reported.
What Police Found Inside the Bar on Aug. 7
Officers entered Hudson West Sports Bar & Grill on August 7 and found up to 100 people inside. The majority were underage, according to lohud. Some patrons were as young as 16. Alcohol was being consumed openly.
The situation worsened on August 8. Police discovered a 16-year-old girl unconscious and severely intoxicated. That incident accelerated action by state regulators, The Times Herald reported.
State Liquor Authority Suspends License, Bans All Alcohol Sales
The New York State Liquor Authority issued a summary suspension of the bar's liquor license. A summary suspension is an emergency action taken before a full hearing. It means the bar must stop all alcohol sales immediately, Utica OD reported.
The SLA ordered that no alcohol could be sold or consumed on the premises until at least August 14. The license was formally suspended on August 15, according to lohud.
Bar Faces 11 Charges Under State Alcohol Law
Hudson West now faces 11 charges under New York's Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. Those include four counts of selling alcohol to minors and seven counts of failure to supervise, according to The Times Herald.
The maximum penalty for these combined charges is revocation of the state liquor license. That would mean a permanent ban on selling alcohol at the location, Utica OD reported.
What Happens Next for Hudson West
The bar will face a formal hearing before the SLA. At that hearing, regulators will decide whether to restore, limit, or permanently revoke the license. The outcome depends on the evidence from the August 7 incident and the bar's history, lohud reported.
Until a final decision is made, Hudson West cannot serve alcohol. The case puts a spotlight on how bars in New York verify the age of customers before letting them drink.
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