Man found outside burning home remains critical; El Paso suspect arrested, police say<\/a><\/p>\nAn investigation involving the El Paso Police Department Upper East Regional Command, the EPPD DWI Taskforce, the Texas Anti-Gang Center and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission found what authorities described as a pattern of habitual criminal activity. Undercover agents reported that bar employees facilitated cocaine sales on multiple occasions.<\/p>\n
Public safety is non-negotiable,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cWhen a business knowingly permits violence and illegal drug activity, it endangers the families who live and work in the surrounding community. No establishment is entitled to operate in a manner that compromises the well-being of our residents.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit also details a history of violence at the location, including assaults on peace officers and security guards. <\/p>\n
Between February 2024 and March 2026, police generated 79 separate case reports tied to activity at the bar, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, terroristic threats and public intoxication, according to the lawsuit. <\/p>\n
The establishment is also allegedly linked to a fatal motor vehicle collision on March 23, according to officials. <\/p>\n
Witnesses told officers the driver involved in the crash had been drinking at Dirty Laundry before the collision. Over the past two years, law enforcement documented 24 separate DWI incidents in which individuals involved had reportedly been at or near the establishment, officials said. <\/p>\n
Authorities also say the business routinely ignored state and local safety regulations. Dirty Laundry has been operating without a valid permit for \u201cplaces of assembly\u201d since July 2025, according to the lawsuit. Inspections by the City of El Paso Fire Marshal\u2019s Office documented violations including inoperable exit signs and improperly secured gas tanks.<\/p>\n
\u201cBusinesses, property owners, managers and their patrons share a collective duty to protect our fellow community members, including the critical obligation not to overserve individuals who may pose a danger to others by driving while intoxicated. When that duty is ignored, the consequences can be devastating,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cMy office remains committed to holding property owners and business operators fully accountable when their actions, or inaction, threaten community safety. By seeking closure of this business, we are seeking to remove a persistent source of criminal activity and affirming that this community will not tolerate operations that compromise public safety or enable unlawful conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bar commented on our social media post, saying the following:<\/p>\n
Of the 280+ emergency calls cited over the 24-month period from February 2024 to March 2026, only 79 actual case reports were filed \u2014 an average of approximately 3.3 per month for a busy entertainment venue. Many were routine or non-criminal. TABC confirms we currently have no administrative violations on our record. The cited allegations, including the 2025 fatal hit-and-run (previously reviewed and dropped by TABC for insufficient evidence) and 2024 undercover operations, have not been adjudicated. We took swift corrective action on any staff issues identified at that time.Shutting down a tax-paying small business and displacing employees before the April 7 hearing in the 171st District Court is extreme. We are confident the full evidence will show we never knowingly tolerated illegal activity and do not qualify as a \u201ccommon nuisance.\u201d To our East El Paso community and loyal patrons: Thank you for your support. We look forward to presenting the complete facts on April 7 and continuing as a positive part of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
TABC responded with the following:<\/p>\n
I can confirm that Dirty Laundry currently has no TABC administrative violations on its record. There are currently seven open investigations in various stages of completion involving the business, though none of those cases are complete and there are no findings to report at this time.<\/p>\n
A hearing is scheduled for April 7, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in the 171st District Court to determine whether the bar will remain closed while the case proceeds.<\/p>\n
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