WASHINGTON — The Hooters in Rockville, Maryland, accused of over-serving a man who struck and killed a police officer says it will surrender its liquor license and close its doors by Nov. 1.
The move comes one week before the restaurant faced a hearing with licensing officials in Montgomery County tied to the incident.
Prosecutors said that Luis Gustavo Reluzco, 47, had spent hours drinking beer and whiskey at the Hooters before he got in his car, and struck and killed Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta on Dec. 3.
Reluzco pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in May. His blood alcohol was recorded at .22 — more than twice the legal limit.
Rich Leotta, Noah Leotta’s father, responded to news of the restaurant’s closure with sadness and hope.
“It doesn’t bring my son back to me,” said Rich Leotta, adding that the closure “puts everybody on notice that they need to take responsibility for their actions to keep the community safe.”
In a statement emailed Monday afternoon, Hooters’ spokeswoman Kelly Propst said:
“This situation has clearly had a profound impact on the community, and understandably so. We’ve been part of this community for a long time and it has impacted us, too. Therefore, after some reflection and in light of the tragic circumstances, it felt like surrendering the license was the right thing to do.”
