Road ends for truck stop's eight-liners (Bar-B-Truck Plaza) - Texas

[Rocky]

Published: July 12, 2007 09:26 am By Lacie Morrison, Mineral Wells Index

PALO PINTO COUNTY – Palo Pinto County officials converged on the Barb-B-Truck Plaza early Tuesday afternoon, confiscating thousands of dollars in cash and a number of gambling devices.

Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer said they’d been investigating the business, located in the 100 block of Interstate 20 West, for about two weeks. “We had undercover officers go in and make cases,” he said.

He explained they ran a search warrant for “the possession or operation of illegal gambling devices, in other words, eight-liners.”

What followed was the closure of the business for approximately four hours while law enforcement from various agencies seized 15 gambling devices and approximately $10,000 in cash. In addition to the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Department, law enforcement from the Mineral Wells Police Department, City/County Narcotics Unit, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and a Palo Pinto County constable participated in the raid.

Mercer said charges will be pending against the business owner and the case will be filed with the county attorney’s office.

According to Texas statutes, electronic, electromechanical or mechanical contrivances which reward players with noncash merchandise prizes, toys or novelties are not included as “gambling devices.” It becomes illegal when the payout is cash or coupons which can be used to purchase merchandise in the store. Promotion or possession of gambling devices is a Class A misdemeanor.

In March, the MWPD and the PPCSD seized 24 machines and an estimated $42,700 from the eight stores. Mercer noted that when that raid occurred, a number of other businesses shut down their gambling machines.

Two other raids in 2002 resulted in the seizure of108 eight-liner machines and approximately $10,000 in cash from Lucky Palace and Treasure Island.

“If you’re operating eight-liners in the county illegally, we will be there to see you,” Mercer cautioned. “I don’t necessarily have an issue with gambling but at this point in time, it’s not legal here. As long as it’s not legal here, we will not support it. …

“We’re asking anyone who’s operating them to cease because we will be there.”

Article Reference: Mineral Wells Index, Mineral Wells, TX - Road ends for truck stop's eight-liners

[Bullwinkle]

Well, other than this incident, this is one truck stop that I have always liked. It has been a few years since I have traveled in that direction, but I used to stop there a going to and coming from California every week.