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Officials warn bar owner over sign about drinking, driving

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County ABC officers warned an East Charlotte bar owner Tuesday about a slogan that suggested people drink at his bar before drinking and driving. 

The slogan outside the Red Fox Lounge on East Sugar Creek Road read "If U Drink & Drive, Drink Here First!"

"It's irresponsible," said Carl Rongo, a drunk driving victim and volunteer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.


In 1974, a drunk semi driver struck Rongo head-on. He was in a coma for three weeks. His best friend was paralyzed and died three years later. 

"Every night I go to sleep, I remember what happened," Rongo said. 

Rongo couldn't fathom a reason why this sign was okay. 

"You are promoting something that is too dangerous to be promoted," he said. 

Eyewitness News contacted ABC enforcement. They said the sign is against a law that bans "any statement, picture or illustration inconsistent with the spirit of safety or safe driving programs."

The owner taped over the sign following the warning Tuesday. Owner J.B. Wright told Eyewitness News he thinks the sign was meant to make the roads safer. 

"I would rather have customers that were out drinking here before they went out somewhere else so we could control what they drank or how much they drank," Wright said. 

Wright said he had no intent to encourage drinking and driving. 

"Just be sensible, be cautious on what you're doing. That's all," Wright said. 

For Rongo, bars should only be sending one message: What can happen if you get behind a wheel drunk. 

"I would like to show them a picture of the crash I was involved in because you may start here but this is where you're going to end," he said.

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