Opelousas Council to consider bar ordinance in special meeting

Posted: Nov 16, 2012 1:09 PM by Tonya LaCoste/Maddie Garrett

The Opelousas City Council will again address an ordinance that would limit bar hours in the city. Tuesday night, an introductory ordinance failed because the entire council was not present at the meeting. The vote was 3-2, but at least four votes are needed to pass an introductory ordinance. Members will take up the matter againg in a special meeting at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 20.

Concerns arose after a violent weekend in October when two people were shot, another man was hit and killed by a vehicle and a fight also broke out. All three incidents have one common factor: The people involved were all patrons of Stallions in Opelousas that night.

Opelousas Police confirmed the pedestrian killed had been kicked out of the restaurant/nightclub and was walking across I-49, back to his hotel room, around 3:00 a.m. when he was hit. Police also said that the suspects in the shooting had just left Stallions, however it's unclear if the shooting was related to a fight that happened just 30 minutes before the shooting, at 4:30am.

"It's really become a problem and it's a public safety issue," said Alderman Blair Briggs.

Since January, roughly 65 complaints have been filed with Opelousas Police against Stallions restaurant and night club. Those reports range from drug activity, to fights and noise complaints. All three incidents happened after 2:00 a.m., and Briggs said that's too late to be out drinking.