SLA Issues Emergency Suspension for Turtle Bay Bar

Albany, NY – The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) summarily suspended the license of Turtle Bay Tavern Corp, doing business as “Turtle Bay Tavern” at 987 2nd Avenue in New York City. The suspension was ordered by Chairman Vincent Bradley and Commissioner Greeley Ford at a special meeting of the Full Board on Friday June 8th . Effective immediately, no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises.

On June 2nd, four patrons were stabbed during a physical altercation that occurred inside Turtle Bay Tavern. According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), a group of patrons inside the licensed premises involved in a verbal altercation escalated into a physical brawl, culminating with an unidentified male patron stabbing four patrons. All four victims suffered multiple stab wounds and were rushed to Cornell Medical Center for treatment. When NYPD officers arrived on the scene, the establishment’s security guards were uncooperative and were unable to identify the assailant. This brutal stabbing is just the most recent in a series of violent incidents that have occurred at Turtle Bay Tavern in the last year.

On April 21st, a heavily intoxicated female patron inside the bar was cut by glass, requiring medical assistance. On February 25th, a patron was attacked by another group of patrons inside the bar. The perpetrators were thrown out of the bar by security, but no one from the premises called the police to report the fight.

On January 14th, two separate physical altercations occurred at the premises; one patron was punched multiple times and sustained extreme bruising, and another patron fell to the ground and hit his head on the sidewalk after being punched in the face. Two additional physical assaults occurred on December 23rd, 2017, with one violent dispute between a group of patrons resulting in a victim left unconscious with a broken jaw.

In addition to the violent incidents occurring at Turtle Bay Tavern, the NYPD has responded to numerous 911 and 311 calls complaining of violence and excessive noise occurring at the premises. Officers have responded to the location several times to ask the bar manager to keep the windows and doors closed while playing music to mitigate the noise.

On December 28th, 2017, the SLA, NYPD and Manhattan South Vice conducted an underage operation and a business inspection at the premises. During the operation, a bartender served alcohol to an underage auxiliary minor. The subsequent business inspection led to 12 Criminal Court summonses and a total of 25 SLA, Fire Code, Building Code, and Administrative Code violations. On June 6th, the SLA charged Turtle Bay Tavern with ten violations of the ABC Law, including one sale to minor and six charges for disorderly premises.

“The increasing violence and disorder at the bar, including a vicious stabbing last week, clearly shows the licensee is unable or unwilling to run a safe, lawful establishment,” said Counsel to the Authority Christopher R. Riano. “The SLA has an obligation to ensure this violence does not continue, and today’s emergency suspension should serve as a warning to other licensees who jeopardize the safety of their patrons.”

The State Administrative Procedure Act authorizes a State agency to summarily suspend a license when the agency finds that public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action. When the SLA summarily suspends a license, it also serves a Notice of Pleading alleging one or more disciplinary violations. In invoking a summary suspension, the SLA has deemed the violation to be sufficiently serious upon initial review to warrant an immediate suspension. The SLA’s decision to summarily suspend a license is not a final determination on the merits of the case. The licensee is entitled to an expedited administrative law hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. An order of summary suspension remains in effect until such time as it is modified by the SLA or a reviewing Court.