Shamrock Sports Bar and Grill loses liquor permit

7/13/2001

The Ohio Liquor Control Commission revoked the liquor permit for the Shamrock Sports Bar and Grill, but the liquor license holder said yesterday he will appeal the decision.

“It's a very unfair decision,” permit holder Larry Gaydeski said.

The order takes effect July 31. Mr. Gaydeski has 21 days from Tuesday to appeal the revocation to Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

An investigation into the bar, 40 South Reynolds Rd., by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Toledo police followed a pedestrian-auto accident Oct. 2, 1999.

Raymond Botts, 23, of Chorus Lane was struck and killed by a pickup driven by Michael G. Lillstrung, Jr., as he was walking east on Hill Avenue.

Lillstrung was sentenced to two years in prison for involuntary manslaughter. He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13 at the time of the accident. The legal limit is 0.10.

Authorities determined that he left the bar intoxicated and drove his pickup east on Hill when he struck Mr. Botts.

The bar was cited for furnishing beer to Lillstrung, who was intoxicated.

The bar was cited for a separate violation on Oct. 2, 1999, that involved allowing drunkenness on the premises. And it was cited twice Oct. 22, 1999, for the same type of violation.

At the state attorney general's request, the three-member commission dismissed the violations for allowing drunkenness.

It found the bar in violation of selling the beer to the two men, allegations Mr. Gaydeski denied.

In addition to the revocation, in the case regarding Lillstrung, the commission suspended the liquor permit from noon Aug. 7 to noon Sept. 6. Mr. Gaydeski has 21 days to appeal this decision.

“We would hope other alcohol servers would be cognizant of who they are serving and how much they are serving,,” said Earl Mack, agent-in-charge of liquor control enforcement operations in northwest Ohio.

“Hopefully, this will bring some closure to [Mr. Botts'] death and send a message to other permit holders,” Mr. Mack said.