The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

June 26, 2008

Big E’s owner facing liquor charges

By Joe Pinchot

FARRELL — The owner of a Farrell bottle club where three people were shot during a June 1 fracas has been charged with five liquor law violations, none of which are connected to the shooting.

The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement has charged Eric M. Branch, 42, of 197 Orchard St., Sharon, with one count of selling alcohol without a license and four counts of storage, consumption and sale of alcohol at an unlicensed business.

Branch was mailed a summons and his arraignment and preliminary hearing have been set for 1 p.m. July 18.

Branch owns Big E’s Social Club, 313 Union St., police said.

An LCE agent gave this account of the selling alcohol without a license charge, the lone criminal charge:

He went to Big E’s at about 1:30 a.m. March 29 and paid a $5 cover charge to get in. He went to the bar and asked for a beer. A barmaid gave him one. When he asked how much, she said, “Nothing, it’s tips,” he said. He gave the woman $2, which she put in a cup on a shelf behind the counter.

Later, he asked for another beer and gave the woman $1, which also went in the cup.

The other four charges, all nontraffic offenses, are for Big E’s charging a cover charge on March 29, April 6 and 13 and May 24.

Three people were hurt — their injuries were not life-threatening — when multiple shots were fired June 1 inside the club. Four New Castle men with Detroit connections have been charged, although none has been accused with the club shooting. All charges stem from a police chase afterward, which ended with a crash on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and shots exchanged with police.

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