WHEELING – Two Wheeling residents are suing a casino, a motorist and a vehicle owner, alleging negligence for injuries they say they sustained during a drunk driver accident.
Kyle Huggins and Dorian Banks filed a lawsuit Oct. 13 in Ohio Circuit Court against Vance Mark Taft II, Luci Brantley and Wheeling Island Gaming, alleging negligence and negligent entrustment.
On Oct. 17, 2013, the suit states, Taft, operating a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado owned by Brantley on Sunset Heights U.S. Highway 250 in Belmont County, Ohio, caused a vehicle collision with a 2003 Subaru Legacy operated by Huggins and occupied by Banks, a safety-restrained passenger.
The suit alleges Taft was negligent in driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving with open alcoholic beverages in the vehicle, driving recklessly, crossing a double yellow line into the path of oncoming traffic, speeding and other negligent acts or omissions.
The lawsuit states Brantley negligently entrusted the Silverado to Taft, and Wheeling Island Casino was negligent in continuing to serve alcoholic beverages to Taft, who was visibly inebriated on its premises before exiting and attempting to drive.
As a result, the suit says, the plaintiffs sustained injuries to their head, neck, back, shoulder, extremities and other body parts.
Huggins and Banks seek compensatory damages, interests and cots of the suit. They are represented by attorneys Ronald W. Zavolta and Jordan M. Laird of Zavolta Law Office in Wheeling. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jason A. Cuomo.
Ohio Circuit Court case number 15-C-291-JAC
