New information has come to light following the recent raid at Southbound Smokehouse on Central Avenue.
Richmond County deputies moved in late June 10 and found minors with alcohol and people dancing which is not permitted under the type of license the business has. Southbound is licensed as a restaurant, not as a dance hall.
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Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Pat Clayton said they had been receiving tips about underage drinking at the location. He said they conducted undercover operations at the business. Once they had sufficient evidence, they scheduled the raid.
Manager Sloane Baughman received two citations – one for furnishing alcohol to someone under age 21, the other for operating with no dance hall license.
Owner Brian Brittingham said Baughman is no longer working there.
“Sloane is not with us because we felt like probably that was something that happened on his watch,” said Brittingham.
Additionally, at least 10 citations were issued for a minor in possession of alcohol. Notes on seven of the citations say the underage person admitted to consuming alcohol inside the popular night spot.
Brittingham said they have deputies working special duty security assignments, and over the past several months, more than 150 fake IDs have been confiscated.
“Quite honestly, I feel like we’ve been targeted for whatever reason. Nobody came and had a talk with us. You know usually the first step isn’t multiple people walking in and shutting you down,” said Brittingham.
Chief Deputy Clayton said it was not the first time they were at the popular gathering place recently.
He said deputies had been called about a week earlier for a disturbance. When they arrived, they found a fight in progress.
He said six citations were issued for disturbing the peace.
Brittingham was not familiar with that specific incident but admitted there have been fights and citations issued in the past.
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“We’ve been there six years; we’ve had fights several times. That’s going to happen anywhere people are gathered to drink,” he said. “It happens at UGA football games. It happens in all kinds of places. It doesn’t mean Southbound did something wrong.”
Individuals who were issued citations on June 11 are scheduled for hearings in Magistrate Court on July 13.
As for the business, Clayton anticipates they will present information to the Augusta Commission at the next meeting. That will be July 1. The business can be put on probation, or commissioners could vote to suspend, or revoke, its license.
Brittingham said they are feeling paranoid right now.
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“We’ve basically just had to turn a bunch of people away; we really aren’t comfortable with having big crowds down there right now,” he explained.
Chief Deputy Clayton said, “We want people in Augusta to have fun. We don’t want to have ‘Roadhouse.'”
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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