St. Louis Tavern and Off-Duty Police Officer Settle Drunk Driving Suit

O’Leary’s Bar and Restaurant in St. Louis and a Sunset Hills police officer have settled a drunk driving, dramshop and wrongful death case out of court.

A car accident caused by the suspended police officer killed the other car’s four passengers instantly and seriously injured the driver. The accident, which occurred in March of 2009, came at the tail end of a night of binge drinking at O’Leary’s Bar.

According to a report on the KMOV St. Louis website, a receipt recovered from the offender’s purse revealed that she had drunk five Cosmopolitans, and the hospital’s breathalyzer test showed the off-duty officer’s blood alcohol content to be nearly three times the legal limit.

The settlement total came to a sum in excess of $2.2 million, which maxed out the amount the officer’s and tavern’s insurance policies would pay. The criminal case against the officer, who plead guilty, will determine how many years of prison time she will receive. The sentence is scheduled to come in spring of 2011.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 32 people die every day in the United States from auto accidents related to drunk driving.

The attorneys at William, Webster, Falb & Glisson are equipped to effectively handle civil cases concerning drunk driving car accidents and violations of dramshop laws, as well as wrongful death cases. If you are the victim of drunk driving or would like to represent a deceased loved one, we recommend seeking legal help as soon as possible. Please contact us without delay for a free consultation.