Strip club sued; man asks for $1.5 million

CHARLES TOWN - A Virginia man says he was placed in a chokehold and thrown to the ground at a Bunker Hill strip club and has filed a lawsuit seeking $1.5 million.

Roberto Alvarez Jr. of Ashburn entered the suit Nov. 14 into Jefferson Circuit Court against Vixens Club. The alleged incident took place Jan. 6.

Alvarez said that the women he was accompanying were asked to dance in a cage onstage repeatedly and refused each time. Shortly after, the complaint adds, a Vixens employee accused Alvarez' friend Billy Meier of giving two of the underage women alcohol.

Meier made a comment and was physically thrown out, with the employees spraying him with mace while he was on the ground, Alvarez asserts.

"While all this was occurring, and without any justification whatsoever, another Vixens Club employee/agent pinned Mr. Alvarez against the wall and put him in a chokehold," the complaint says. "The employee/agent held Mr. Alvarez in the chokehold for several seconds, rendering him unable to breathe."

The complaint adds that the employees banged his head against a window and was thrown out, and while on the ground another employee stomped on his right ankle.

"Additionally, while Mr. Alvarez was on the ground and yelling for help, several Vixens Club employees/agents ran right past him without making any attempt to aid Mr. Alvarez," the complaint says. "When the employees/agents returned to the club's entrance several minutes later, they merely walked by Mr. Alvarez ignoring his pleas for help."

Alvarez says that he had surgery on his ankle, requiring several screws. He charges the defendants with assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring/retention and willful and wanton conduct.

For compensatory damages, he seeks $500,000. For punitive damages, he seeks $1 million.

Stephen Skinner of Nichols and Skinner in Charles Town is representing Alvarez.

Judge Thomas Steptoe Jr. has been assigned the case.

Jefferson Circuit Court case number 06-C-387