Possible date rape drug at a local sports bar in Colombia

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – The Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) has announced three reported cases of women using drugs at a local bar in the last two months.

The first case was reported on September 13th and the last case was reported on November 1st. RCSD said each case occurred at the TLC Sports Bar on Stadium Road near Williams-Brice Stadium.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told WIS News 10 that the facility is not cooperating with law enforcement. He said they should be able to get the surveillance video and other information about the three incidents from bar management, but that that hasn't happened yet.

“Once is once. Two? Or three? “That’s a pattern that tells me there’s something going on,” Lott said.

For the first case, RCSD said officers were dispatched to a local hospital to receive a report about a young woman who had attended TLC and believed she was suffering from the effects of the date rape drug.

The second case, on October 31, was similar in nature when officers were stopped by another woman who claimed to have taken drugs at the same bar.

Finally, a day later, the third victim claimed the same thing, according to RCSD.

“Sneaking around and sneaking drugs into someone's drink to get them into the physical and mental state they end up in. Those three all ended up going to the hospital, it was so bad,” Lott said.

A local emergency doctor told WIS News 10 that women need to know what to look for when going out.

Doctor Brenna Brucker, chief of emergency medicine at Lexington Medical Center, said there is power in traveling with friends and keeping an eye on your surroundings. She said any number of medications can be used to make a victim sleepy, and sometimes symptoms can appear within 15 to 30 minutes of ingestion or later.

“If there is a drink, make sure you always have it in your hand. “Never put your drink down,” Brucker said. “If you are concerned about your health in any way, we are here for you. You might be afraid, 'I don't want to waste anyone's time in the hospital because I might be fine,' but if you know you're not completely fine, we're here.”

WIS News 10 made several attempts to speak with management at the facility. A bar employee took a message, but WIS News 10 has not received a response.

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