Fanatics Sports Bar in Chattanooga Tenn. Facebook
From Chattanooga Times Free Press
A sign outside the closed Fanatics Sports Bar and Grill on Thursday said to check Facebook for information about the bar’s reopening. The bar’s Facebook page said, “We hope to give you good news soon.”
But no one will serve beer at 7643 East Brainerd Road for a year. On Thursday, the Chattanooga Beer Board voted 7-0 to revoke Fanatics’ beer permit because John Woodlee, 53, died in a single-vehicle crashon March 10 after being served 18 drinks in 5 1/2 hours.
Woodlee staggered across the Fanatics parking lot after he left at 8:13 p.m. and hit three other vehicles there, Assistant City Attorney Keith J. Reisman told beer board members. He crashed into a light pole at 8:17 p.m. and died soon after.
“It was a tragic outcome,” Reisman said.
An autopsy showed Woodlee’s blood-alcohol content was 0.197 percent, Reisman said. That’s more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Woodlee weighed 332 pounds and was 6 feet, 6 inches tall. ….MORE
From WRCB
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WRCB) –
The owners of Fanatics Sports Bar & Grill on East Brainerd Road have decided to close their doors after two high-profile cases involving over-serving a patron and a bartender drinking on the job.
In March of 2015, 53 year-old John Woodlee drove into a pole outside the bar and later died. Reports placed his blood alcohol level of 0.197, more than twice the legal limit.
Channel 3 learned at Thursday’s Beer Board meeting that Woodlee was served 10 fireball shots, 4 angry birds and 4 beers before fatal crash. The assistant city attorney said multiple waiters served the man over 5.5 hours and that no food was consumed.
A timeline of events and drinks served to Woodlee on Tuesday, March 10:
- 2:45pm Beverage #1
- 3:06pm Beverage #2, Fireball shot #1
- 3:25pm Fireball shot #2
- 3:33pm Beverage #3
- 4:18pm Fireball shot #3
- 4:20pm Fireball shot #4, Beverage #4
- 4:28pm Fireball shot #5
- 4:46pm Beverage #5, Fireball shot #6
- 5:16pm Beverage #6
- 5:51pm Fireball shot #7
- 6:11pm Fireball shot #8
- 6:26pm Fireball shot #9
- 6:30pm Beverage #7
- 6:43pm A Fanatics worker attempts to cut off John Woodlee from further drinking
- 6:50pm Fireball shot #10
- 7:55pm Beverage #8
- 8:13pm Woodlee departs, leaving $100 for a charge that was less than $50
- 8:17pm Fatal accident occurs
(Beverages include four beers and four “Angry Bird” drinks)
Barry Vandiver represented his son who owns Fanatics at Thursday morning’s Beer Board meeting.
“Since these last two unfortunate instances happened, the business has gone down so bas that its not making any money,” Vandiver said.
READ MORE | Driver in fatal Fanatics crash was highly intoxicated
In February 2015, employee Andrea Payne admitted to taking two shots of Fireball at work before getting in the car and hitting a Chattanooga firefighter as he was directing traffic on East Brainerd Road.
READ MORE | Local bar reprimanded after bartender drank, hit firefighter
Chattanooga Police say the investigation is still pending for any possible criminal charges that could be filed.
