Getting caught drinking on the job was a sobering experience for two campus-area employees.

Ohio Investigative Unit agents issued citations for both Hound Dog’s Pizza and High Street Beverage for liquor permit violations on May 3.

OIU agents working with the Columbus Division of Police that night stopped Hound Dog’s employee Kyle Cohn as he left the building carrying a plastic cup and got into his car. The agents approached Cohn, who had already entered his vehicle, identified themselves and questioned him about the cup’s contents.

He said the drink was Jim Beam and Coke and was then charged with an open container violation, said Julie Ehrhart, spokeswoman for the OIU.

The agents proceeded inside the building to inform Jeff Stewart, owner of Hound Dog’s Pizza, about the charge. During their conversation, employee Elizabeth Blaney entered the pizza shop intoxicated, carrying a brown bag. She proceeded past the agents, unaware of who they were, and began talking with another employee about doing shots.

“It was basically a fluke the second person walked in,” Ehrhart said.

The agents uncovered a bottle of Maker’s Mark Bourbon which Blaney had purchased at High Street Beverage, the state liquor store two doors down.

“The girl was in control when she came in. She was walking and talking fine,” said Sam Budeiri, owner and manager of High Street Beverage.

Budeiri said he believed the girl was in a good mood but never suspected she was intoxicated.

The state agent said she reeked of alcohol and gave Hound Dog’s a citation.

Two of the three violations Hound Dog’s received will stick, said Ehrhart. One was illegal possession of liquor not obtained from an authorized source, and the other was open container of liquor on permit premises.

The third violation, allowing consumption of alcohol not purchased at premises, will more than likely be thrown out.

Stewart makes no excuses for the incident.

“We were in violation,” Stewart said. “It was an honest mistake.”

Hound Dog’s Pizza has had a liquor license for the past 11 years. This is its first violation.

High Street Beverage was cited for selling alcohol to an intoxicated individual. Budeiri feels the citation is completely unwarranted and feels the store was not violating its permit by selling alcohol to her.

“We won’t sell to someone if they can’t walk or talk. That is how we are trained by the state liquor agency,” he said.

The violations will arrive at the attorney general’s office, where allegations against the businesses will be put together as a notice for hearing. The Liquor Control Commission, which hears and rules on cases related to the regulation of alcohol in Ohio, will then decide on possible disciplinary action based on OIU reports and testimony by permit holders.

The businesses could pay fines and have their liquor licenses suspended, Ehrhart said. In the worst case scenario, they would lose their liquor licenses.