Alcohol compliance checks in the last week at area bars and restaurants ended in numerous arrests for underage drinking and other violations, according to Statesboro police reports.
The recent compliance checks follow the Aug. 28 death of a Georgia Southern University student, Michael Gatto, 18, of Elkhorn Court in Cumming, who was badly beaten at a local bar and later died.
The 20-year-old suspect accused of the attack, Grant James Spencer, of Olympic Boulevard, also a GSU student and reportedly a bouncer at the bar, is in jail on a felony murder charge.
Following Gatto’s death, people raised protests, saying there is an underage drinking problem in Statesboro.
A compliance check Thursday around 11 p.m. resulted in a man at Bigshow’s Burgers and Bar on Lanier Drive being arrested for furnishing alcohol to underage persons. A woman at GATA’s also was cited around 11:40 p.m. Thursday night for selling alcohol to underage persons, according to reports.
Compliance checks Friday also netted several arrests.
At Rude Rudy’s, the bar where Gatto was beaten, four patrons were arrested for underage drinking around 11:30 p.m., but reports state the establishment itself was not cited for violations.
Compliance checks around 10:30 p.m. Friday at South City Tavern resulted in the arrest of one woman who tried to buy alcohol under age 21. Another check at Bigshow’s Burgers and Bar around 10:15 p.m. Friday resulted in two more people being arrested for underage possession of alcohol, but the business itself was not cited, reports state.
Two patrons at Rusty’s Tavern also were cited for underage possession of alcohol during a compliance check around 11:45 p.m. Friday.
Saturday, police performed compliance checks again, according to reports released Tuesday.
After a compliance check around 9:45 p.m. Saturday, a woman at GATA’s was cited for underage possession of alcohol, according to reports.
Eight people were cited at RumRunners around 12:18 a.m. Saturday. Seven cited for underage possession of alcohol were on the bar’s premises, while one woman cited for underage drinking told police she had just left the bar, carrying a drink with her.
Because police did not see her leave the bar with the drink or purchase it, no one at the bar was cited for selling the alcohol to her, reports state.
A check around 11:50 p.m. Saturday at Retrievers Sports Bar & Grill ended in several citations for underage drinking, possession of false identification and furnishing alcohol to underage persons, according to reports. Another check at RumRunners around 12:30 a.m. Sunday ended in a man being cited for underage possession of alcohol.
A police report released Tuesday stated that officers performed compliance checks at several establishments serving alcohol. Officers did not find violations at every location, reports stated.
During compliance checks citywide Thursday through Sunday, police reported three arrests for furnishing alcohol to underage persons, three citations for attempting to purchase alcohol while under 21, one citation for misrepresenting identity in order to purchase alcohol under 21 and 21 arrests for underage possession of alcohol.
Those receiving citations were released after being cited and were not taken to jail. They will face court hearings regarding the misdemeanor violations, reports stated.
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.