Club Victoire may face liquor board scrutiny after trial

Former Rochester Police Officer Eric Krans testifies at Leslie Pollard's probable cause hearing on Tuesday. (Harrison Thorp photo)

ROCHESTER - The Deputy Director of the state’s Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement is leaving open the possibility of administrative action against Club Victoire after an accident in December in which the driver and the victim in a hit-and-run accident are said to have both been drinking at the downtown social club a short time before the crash.

Leslie Pollard, 51, of 17 Hemlock St., Rochester, has been charged with felony conduct after an accident after he allegedly struck a 28-year-old city woman on Lowell Street on Dec. 29, and allegedly continued on to his nearby home without stopping to help.

Scott Dunn, who works in the commission’s Division of Enforcement, however, said they would be waiting until all criminal court proceedings have been resolved before contemplating any possible punitive action against the club.

“If there were allegations or other evidence that warrant an investigation we would likely conduct an administrative investigation,” Dunn said on Wednesday, adding no investigation is under way now.

Leslie Pollard, the husband of Karen Pollard, Rochester’s Economic Development Director and a deputy city manager, is said to have confessed to police he knew he’d hit a person as he was booked at police headquarters, but when asked to write an account of his confession, ended the conversation and asked for a lawyer, the arresting officer stated in court on Tuesday during a probable cause hearing.

The Pollards, the woman injured in the accident and two other friends of the Pollards were all drinking at the club prior to the accident, according to police affidavits.

The victim, who reportedly had several vodka and cranberry drinks at the club, said she couldn’t remember with whom she left the club, but affidavits state she left with the two friends prior to the Pollards leaving.

Karen Pollard said she had two glasses of wine at the club, while neither she nor her husband have indicated what he was drinking or how much.

The arresting officer, Eric Krans, now of the Portsmouth Police Department, said when he arrived at the Pollards’ home in response to a 911 call shortly after the accident, Leslie Pollard said he had “chugged” some wine when he got home because he was nervous.

Krans testified that Leslie Pollard appeared very inebriated, had bloodshot and glossy eyes, swayed back and forth and was wearing just jeans and a T-shirt outside while it was snowing. Krans said Leslie Pollard told him he’d had two beers at the Chef’s Table, which was later found not to be open.

Krans also testified that Leslie Pollard refused a field sobriety test.

During the early part of the investigation at the Pollards’ residence, Krans said in court on Tuesday that Leslie Pollard said he thought he may have hit something, but thought it was an animal or ice and that he continued home to call police because he was so close to his residence.

Karen Pollard, meanwhile, told Krans she remembered seeing or hearing nothing unusual on the way home.

After interviewing Karen Pollard separately, Krans said he returned to the kitchen area of the home and saw Leslie Pollard chugging more wine, between a half bottle and three-quarters of a bottle, he estimated.

One of the friends who had been at the Club Victoire was also interviewed by Krans, but was so drunk all he continually said in answer to questions was “Rochester” over and over again, the officer testified.

According to police affidavits in the case, the two friends and the woman who was later hit left the Victoire Club before the Pollards, but the friends’ car broke down on Lowell Street. At that point, the woman said she wanted to go home and got out of the car and started walking.

The woman, who suffered a broken collarbone in the crash, indicated she didn’t remember leaving the Victoire Club, but remembers walking on Lowell Street, then being hit and feeling a sharp pain, then trying to flag motorists down to help her.

At some point later, the two friends got the car started and went to the Pollards’ home, which they stated was not unusual as they are friends with the Pollards.

Soon after they arrived, Karen and Leslie Pollard arrived and Leslie Pollard stated he may have hit something, court affidavits indicate.

Dunn said he had assisted Rochester Police in securing an affidavit to search Club Victoire’s receipts from that night, but in court Krans indicated the bar only accepts cash, so no relevant receipts were available.

Among possible violations for which the club could face scrutiny would be if it were found that patrons who were visibly alcohol-impaired were served.

Club Victoire officers said today that due to the ongoing police investigation they had no comment.