Brent Adams & Associates Legal Blog

The parents are also suing the restaurant because it’s employees knew that the officer was intoxicated and failed to stop her from driving or call her a cab. Interestingly, the restaurant is in a strip mall about 1,000 feet from the police station. Also it is alleged that the bar workers still served the officer alcohol despite her slurred speech and unsteady gait.

Under the state’s "dram shop law", a bar or restaurant can be held liable for injury or death cause later by inebriated patron.

The suit was filed on June 15th; six days after the criminal charges were brought against the officer. The officer faces four counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, plus one count of second-degree assault for injuries sufferd by the other car's driver. The police department put the officer of unpaid suspension after the charges were filed. The crash occurred at 1:45am on March 21st when the officer's Mitsubishi collided with a Honda. This case is a horrible reminder that drinking and driving never pays and often results in innocent lives being lost.