Many states have legal guidelines on the books about bartenders or bar homeowners serving alcohol to somebody who’s visibly impaired. There are completely different guidelines for various jurisdictions, however typically if the patron is served when drunk, and will get in an accident, the bar might be held liable. Just one state has the identical rule for gasoline station attendants, Tennessee. That was till Monday when the New Mexico Supreme Court docket dominated that service stations can now be chargeable for intoxicated drivers.
The case got here from a federal appeals courtroom to New Mexico, due to case of a drunk driver in 2011. The motive force got here to the station for gasoline, nevertheless it had no gasoline cans to promote. He then bought a gallon of water, emptied it, filling it with gasoline. He got here again later and crammed up his automobile, earlier than dropping off his passenger. He then entered the freeway, crossed the middle lane and crashed, killing the occupant of the opposing car.