Mullins: Restaurants didn’t serve alcohol ‘irresponsibly’

Two Corbin restaurants did not serve alcohol irresponsibly to a man who used his car to damage two buildings and hit two pedestrians during a drunken rampage in downtown Corbin in August, a local official says.
Corbin Police Chief Carson Mullins, who also serves as the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Administrator, said an investigation into Buckner’s, a bar and grill on Cumberland Falls Hwy., and The Depot on Main, a restaurant and comedy club on Main Street, has ended with no official proof of wrongdoing.
Gregory Boggs, 36, allegedly rammed his 1995 Chevrolet Blazer into The Depot on Main – a restaurant and comedy club in downtown Corbin – the dental offices of Robert Ballou and Contours Express, a women’s only fitness facility, on Aug. 26. He also struck The Depot on Main patron Jack Rutherford and another pedestrian, Jennifer Jewell, and was chased by police before finally surrendering in a north Corbin mobile home park.
Officials say Boggs, who has been charged with numerous counts of criminal mischief, assault, DUI and other traffic offenses, patronized Buckner’s and The Depot on Main before the incident.
Restaurants who serve drunken customers or who over serve individuals can face sanctions from the local administrator or state Alcohol Beverage Control Board (ABC). Mullins said he worked in cooperation with the state ABC on the investigation.
“There was nothing that led me to believe there was any wrongdoing,” Mullins said. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing else that needs to be done.”
The Depot on Main owner Rick Curry said Boggs was obviously drunk when he came into the restaurant and was thrown out after he urinated on the bathroom walls and tossed a shot glass at a bartender. Curry said Boggs was angry because the bartender refused to serve him alcohol.
Buckner’s owner Johnny Buckner has also said Boggs was refused service at his restaurant.
Bogg’s mother, Bettie Boggs, claims her son went to The Depot to celebrate his 26th birthday. She said he was given free drinks because it was his birthday and that Rutherford and his wife also bought her son drinks.
Bettie Bogg’s said he was beaten badly after being thrown out of the restaurant.
“He nearly died in jail,” she said. “He was hit real hard in the temple. He told me, he said he checked out after that and didn’t remember anything.”
“I don’t condone him being drunk, but they are more responsible than he is for what happened afterward.”
Mullins suggested Boggs might have drunk heavily before or sometime in between visiting the restaurants.
“You never know what someone might have in their vehicle and so forth,” Mullins said. “He may have guzzled down a half a bottle of whisky or something. It’s hard to say.”
According to a police report of the incident, Boggs registered a .202 on a Breathalyzer test – more than twice the legal limit. In Kentucky, .08 is considered legally intoxicated. Police also discovered some prescription antidepressant medication in Boggs’ vehicle after the arrest. The prescriptions belonged to Boggs.
Boggs failed to appear in court for an arraignment Sept. 23 in Knox County and an arrest warrant was issued by district judge Michael Caperton Monday. He has been jailed in the Clay County Detention Center on a $1 million bond since the incident.
Bettie Boggs said her son didn’t know anything about the Knox County Court date. She said she’s contacted Kentucky’s Attorney General regarding what she calls “civil rights” violations because her son did not get an arraignment on the charges in Whitley County until 13 days after being arrested.
“It’s driving me crazy,” she said. “He didn’t know anything about it.”