Haulin' Hog ABC permit revoked
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on January 13, 2017 9:57 AM
A former downtown business owner already charged with kidnapping and rape after an alleged sexual assault took place inside his restaurant can also add ABC permit violations to his list of charges.
John Crawford Kearney, of 900 Community Drive, the one-time owner of Haulin' Hog, at 120 E. Mulberry St., is charged with selling malt beverages without a permit.
According to court records, 43-year-old Kearney was charged with the liquor violations on Nov. 9, 2016, four days after being arrested at his home and charged with second-degree forcible rape, second-degree forcible sex offense and first-degree kidnapping.
The alleged rape took place more than a month prior, according to court records, but Kearney was not charged until later in the investigation when police came to his home on Nov. 5.
Joe Sadler, Wayne ABC law enforcement chief, said Haulin' Hog's permits were canceled Oct. 28, 2016, for failure to pay N.C. Department of Revenue taxes.
Sadler said the business continued to operate and sell alcohol without a permit until Kearney was arrested on the rape charge.
Sadler confirmed that the permits for the restaurant being revoked had nothing to do with Kearney's other charges.
"What would've happened is the ABC Commission would've taken them anyway after he was charged because the offense allegedly occurred inside the business," Sadler said.
The North Carolina Department of Revenue declined to release information on how long the business did not pay taxes, which led to the permits being revoked.
"...Due to taxpayer secrecy provisions outlined in N.C. Gen. Stat. 105-259, I have no public information for release at this time," wrote Trevor Johnson, director of public affairs for the N.C. Department of Revenue in an email.
After Kearney was charged with rape and kidnapping, Sadler said he went into the business on Mulberry Street and found several coolers containing beer and wine -- after the permits had been revoked.
Sadler said he gave Haulin' Hog co-owner Parker Uzzell the chance to remove the alcohol from the business, and Uzzell complied, Sadler said.
Haulin' Hog's permits to sell beer and wine were issued July 25, 2016, and were canceled by the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission in October.
On Sept. 21, the Goldsboro Police Department responded to a woman walking in the 200 block of North John Street at 5:20 a.m., according to a press release from the time of Kearney's arrest.
She told police she had just been sexually assaulted inside Kearney's business and was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Police investigated the woman's allegations for more than a month before arresting Kearney.
Haulin' Hog moved into its downtown location in August after operating as a food truck business at 102 N. George St. for around four years.
It is unknown if the business is still open or has permanently closed.
Kearney's next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 15.