Drunk driving is a safety issue throughout the nation. This sort of activity takes place in the Pittsburgh area all too frequently. While in many instances a drunk driver makes it to his or her destination without inflicting harm upon anyone, sadly this is not always the case. Sometimes car accidents ensue resulting in injuries, or in the worst cases, even death. The son of a police chief of a community in western Pennsylvania sadly met his demise in a car accident involving the consumption of alcohol. The 26-year-old died when his car collided with a barrier made of concrete, located on Route 19.

Prior to the incident the young man had been at an area bar that was hosting “Billy’s Winter Beer Olympics”. The idea behind the event was that customers consume large amounts of alcohol. The police chief’s son was reportedly at the event for a total of seven hours before getting into a car to leave. It does not appear that anyone else was involved in the fatal crash.

When a drunk driver is to blame for a motor vehicle accident that hurts or kills someone, that individual may face a civil lawsuit as well as criminal charges. This is not the only legal action that can be taken however when a drunk driving accident occurs. In some situations, the establishment responsible for providing the alcohol that caused the driver’s intoxication, may be liable for damage inflicted by that driver. These lawsuits are possible under what is called dram shop liability.

The father of the man who died in the drunk driving accident recently filed one of these lawsuits against Billy’s Roadhouse, where the event was held, as well as its owner. In it, he alleges that the bar and bar owner were promoting binge-drinking. Should the lawsuit be successful, the police chief would recover financial damages for his son’s death.

Source: Daily Journal, “Western Pa. police chief sues bar over alleged binge-drinking event before son’s fatal crash,” The Associated Press, July 1, 2013