February 27, 2012
The owner of a restaurant in Norfolk, Virginia, has been charged by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission with serving underage and intoxicated patrons just minutes before a fatal crash claimed the life of a 20-year-old man. According to reports from The MetroWest Daily News, the accident happened on October 11, 2010 around 9:30 p.m. at 45 Holliston Street, a short distance from the restaurant.
Reports indicate that the man and two other underage patrons were served between seven and ten drinks from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The patrons then got into a 2005 Dodge Ram Pickup and drove away. Moments later, the vehicle struck a curb and a tree before rolling several times and landing in front of a local middle school. Two of the victims, including the young man who died at the scene, were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle.
The other ejected victim survived after receiving treatment at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worchester for bleeding in her brain, a fractured eye socket and nose, and a broken collarbone, ribs, pelvis, and spine.
Virginia state law allows for restaurant owners and servers to be charged with crimes, and they can be held liable if a patron of their establishment is invoed in an accident after drinking.
The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley express their condolences to the families of those involved in this crash.
