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### Honoring the Memory of Riley Strain
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The tragic passing of Riley Strain has been determined not to be the responsibility of the establishments that served him alcohol on the night he appeared heavily intoxicated, according to a statement from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC).
After conducting an extensive investigation that included reviewing surveillance footage, conducting interviews, and gathering eyewitness accounts, the TABC announced on Thursday that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that bartenders continued to serve alcohol to Strain after he was visibly inebriated.
The commission detailed the events of the night, as recounted by some of Strain’s fellow fraternity members. The group’s bar crawl included stops at several high-profile bars, beginning at Miranda Lambert’s establishment, moving on to Garth Brooks’ venue, and eventually making their way to Luke Bryan’s bar for their first visit.
The night continued with a visit to Kid Rock’s bar, after which the group decided to return to Luke Bryan’s place. It was reported by one of Strain’s fraternity brothers that by then, Strain had consumed at least seven alcoholic beverages and was exhibiting signs of intoxication, such as slurred speech, leading them to procure two waters for him.
Upon attempting to settle a nonexistent tab, Strain was asked by the bartender to leave the venue, which was enforced by the establishment’s security team. The TABC noted that at all four visited locations, Strain seemed physically stable, leading to their conclusion that the bars did not serve him excessively.
Tragically, surveillance footage later showed Strain wandering through the city, alternating between walking normally and stumbling. Several weeks after he was reported missing, Strain’s body was discovered at a concrete plant near the Cumberland River. The cause of death was declared as accidental, resulting from drowning and ethanol intoxication.
Strain’s family has expressed skepticism about the circumstances surrounding his death and criticized his fraternity brothers for allowing him to leave the bar alone.
Despite these heartaches, the state has declared that the bars visited that night are not to be held accountable for Strain’s untimely death.