Texas family sues bar that served intoxicated police officer who caused fatal car accident
The family of a Fort Worth, Texas, woman killed last December in a car accident involving an intoxicated, off-duty Fort Worth police officer has filed a lawsuit against the bar that allegedly served alcohol to the officer.
The lawsuit has been filed under the Texas Dram Shop Act, which is a law that enables victims and victims’ families to hold an establishment legally liable for damages that arise when the establishment sells alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person.
Named as defendants in the drunk driving car accident lawsuit are the Pour House, bar owner Eric Tschetter and Pueri Inc., a related business entity. Cisneros and the city of Fort Worth are not listed as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, the Pour House continued to serve alcohol to Jesus Cisneros – the off-duty Fort Worth police officer – to the point where Cisneros became “dangerously inebriated.” Afterward, the bar allowed Cisneros to “stagger out” and drive away from the establishment in a city vehicle.
Cisneros left the premises of the Pour House at around 2:25 a.m. Accident report states that Cisneros was driving at 70 mph in a 35 mph zone. Cisneros then struck a PT Cruiser being driven by victim Sonia Baker. Baker, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident took place on December 11th near Baker’s Fort Worth home.
After the accident, Cisneros was taken to a hospital for blood tests. The results of those tests indicated that Cisneros’ blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
Last month, 37-year-old Cisneros was charged with intoxication manslaughter. He remains free on bail. Cisneros resigned from his position in late December.
For more on this drunk driving car accident lawsuit, click here for the full article.
