Six clerks in Anderson County were cited to court after businesses in Lake City and Oliver Springs sold beer to a minor during a compliance check in February, authorities said.
The sting was conducted on Feb. 20 and 21 by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, with help from the Lake City Police Department, Oliver Springs Police Department, and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP.
Investigators with the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit visited 24 businesses to try to buy beer. Six sold beer to the underage person, the department said in a press release. Two of the six businesses did not check identification showing the person to be under 21, and four checked but sold the beer anyway. One on-premise business served the underage person, but the server realized the age before the sale was completed.
The Sheriff’s Department said the following businesses sold beer to the underage person:
- Discount Tobacco Outlet on North Main Street in Lake City,
- Fast Track Market No. 5  on Lake City Highway in Lake City,
- LaFiesta Mexican Restaurant on North Main Street in Lake City,
- Lee’s Food Market on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Marathon (Main Street) on North Main Street in Lake City, and
- Pizza Hut on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs.
The following business served but then did not sell to the underage person, the Sheriff’s Department said:
- Riverview Grill on Oak Ridge Highway in Clinton.
Six clerks who sold beer to the underage purchasers have been cited to court. In one, the case is under review, the department said. The beer permit holders will be brought before the respective beer boards for Anderson County, Lake City, and Oliver Springs.
The Sheriff’s Department wanted to commend businesses that checked for identification and did not sell beer to an underage buyer:
- Anderson Discount Tobacco on Main Street in Oliver Springs,
- Bread Box on Edgemoor Road in Powell,
- Duane’s Truck Stop on Lake City Highway in Lake City,
- Exxon on North Main Street in Lake City,
- First and Last Chance on North Main Street in Lake City,
- Food City on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Los Trios on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Mack’s Discount Tobacco on Oak Ridge Highway in Clinton,
- Marathon (Edgemoor) on Edgemoor Road in Clinton,
- Marathon (Downtown) on Main Street in Oliver Springs,
- Norwood Marathon on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Pilot No. 314 on North Main Street in Lake City,
- Raceway on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Rite Aid on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Shell Fun Food on East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs,
- Shell on North Main Street in Lake City, and
- Weigel’s No. 73 on Weigels Lane in Lake City.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said the Anderson County Underage Drinking Task Force was set up in the fall of 2013 to create a platform for representatives from each city in Anderson County to address underage drinking issues. In collaboration with Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County, the Underage Drinking Task Force consists of community members representing beer boards, alcohol outlets, law enforcement officers, Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission, and other government officials. Task Force members have been working diligently by analyzing policy and investigating best practices to prevent and reduce underage drinking, the press release said.
The Underage Drinking Task Force meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Board Room on the fifth floor of the Robert Jolley Building at 101 S. Main St. in Clinton. For more information about the Underage Drinking Task Force, contact Michael Foster, ASAP prevention coordinator, at (865) 457-3007 or [email protected].
“By being proactive, local law enforcement agencies, along with the Underage Drinking Task Force, are creating a safer environment in Anderson County,” the release said.
For more information on preventing underage drinking, visit www.ASAPofAnderson.org.
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