By John Tuohy

john.tuohy@indystar.com

Christmas beer, not cheer, apparently consumed one officer’s time last holiday season.

Indiana Excise Police say a single officer cited 109 Speedway convenience stores across the state for selling alcohol on Christmas Day.

The stores, which sell beer and wine, included 18 in Indianapolis and several others in neighboring cities.

Officer Jesica Lovell received a tip that a South Bend Speedway sold beer on Dec. 25, and she began her investigation the next day, according to the Excise Police.

During Lovell’s visit to that store, another Speedway clerk told her that she, too, had sold alcohol on Christmas. That led to the discovery that 109 stores had done so. Indiana law prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages from 7 a.m. Dec. 25 until 3 a.m. Dec. 26.

Angela Graves, a spokeswoman for Speedway, said the company is cooperating with investigators and trying to find out why so many clerks were selling beer.

“We are aware of the law in Indiana and are trying to get to the bottom of it,” Graves said.

Graves would not say whether Speedway turned over sales receipts to investigators but said “there are several ways” the police could have gone about determining which stores sold beer on Christmas.

Excise Police Cpl. Travis Thickstun said, “Speedway has been ­cooperating throughout the investigation and providing requested records.”

Speedway has more than 300 stores in Indiana and has been selling beer for several years.

Since Prohibition, ­Indiana has also banned the sale of beer, wine and ­liquor at grocery and package liquor stores on Sundays.

The state has relaxed some Sunday restrictions: Sales of alcohol are permitted by the drink at restaurants, bars and hotels. Sunday carry-outs are per­mitted only at ­wineries and small breweries.

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-6418. Follow him on Twitter: @john_tuohy.