After several months, investigators are officially clearing Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge Bar of any wrongdoing related to Riley Strain's death. The 22-year-old visited Nashville in March, but he disappeared after leaving the bar.
Investigators determined neither Bryan's bar nor any other bar Strain visited that day was at fault. Strain hit several different bars alongside his frat brothers. He ended up dying from a combination of alcohol poisoning and drowning after falling into the Cumberland River. Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, via TMZ, determined the blame can't be placed on any of the bars for serving Strain.
Investigators interviewed several witnesses and also reviewed video footage. They determined that none of the bartenders served Strain while he showed signs of being visibly drunk. Besides Bryan's bar, Strain also visited Miranda Lambert's Casa Rosa, Garth Brooks' Friends in Low Places & Honky-Tonk, and Kid Rock's Big A— Honky Tonk Rock N' Roll Steakhouse on that day.
However, Bryan's bar drew much of the scrutiny since it was the last place Strain visited before his disappearance. According to a frat brother, Strain consumed seven drinks prior to visiting Bryan's bar. At the time, a TABC representative said it was investigating 32 Bridge to determine "whether Mr. Strain was served alcohol while he was visibly intoxicated."
Riley Strain Served One Drink At Luke Bryan's Bar
Records later showed that bartenders only served Strain one drink and a couple of waters. "During Riley's visit to Luke's 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters," the organization wrote on Facebook.
Operators said they made the decision to kick Strain out of the bar due to his level of intoxication. They wrote, "At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs."
Strain's frat brothers didn't follow him. There was some speculation that Strain may have been a victim of foul play due to a lack of water in the lungs. However, an autopsy ruled that out. An expert explained that one could still drown without water in their lungs.
"It's not the water that causes harm," he told FOX, "it's the blockage of oxygen getting to the lungs."
He added, "So, if somebody goes in the water and because of a spasm of the windpipe. Because ... if you can't breathe, you get a little spasm there. It's the lack of oxygen that causes the person to die. And one can have [a] lack of oxygen and water without water getting into the lungs, but just by creating a spasm in the air passages."
