Woman says she was assaulted by convenience store clerk

MORGANTOWN – A Monongalia County woman is suing after she says she was assaulted by a clerk at a convenience store.

Nicole Centrangolo filed the lawsuit March 29 in Monongalia Circuit Court. She lists Phillip Daniel Reed Sr. and Chico Enterprises Inc. d/b/a Dairy Mart Foods as defendants.

On March 27, 2004, Centrangolo says she entered the Pt. Marion Dairy Mart store. As she was checking out, she was writing a check to pay. Reed was working the cash register.

Reed "was becoming increasingly and unnecessarily hostile to the degree that he began pointing with his hand -- jabbing at Ms. Centrangolo's breast," the suit claims. "To avoid the unwanted and inappropriate touch, Ms. Centrangolo waved her right arm up to block Mr. Reed's advancing hand, pushing it away. Mr. Reed then forcefully pulled Ms. Centrangolo over the counter, slamming her onto the ground, and sitting on top of her to detain her."

Centrangolo, who is being represented by attorney Alex. J. Shook, claims physical and emotional harm and distress by being pulled over the counter. She claims Chico Enterprises "recklessly, negligently, and wantonly" failed to train, manage, and supervise Reed and that Chico continued to employ Reed and allowed him to work despite the violent nature of the incident.

She is seeking a trial by jury to decide compensatory damages for attorney's fees and court costs, medical expenses, suffering, humiliation, mental anguish, impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life and punitive damages to deter the defendants for this behavior.

Monongalia Circuit Court case number: 06-C-193