WILLIAMSON — A father is suing a school board, alleging his underage son was given alcohol by a teacher and was subsequently involved in a car accident.
James Jewell, as father and next friend of B.J., a minor, filed a complaint in Mingo Circuit Court against the Mingo County Board of Education; Kandace Dick; and B.M., a minor through Shelby Moore as guardian and next friend.
The suit states B.J. and B.M. were minors at Tug Valley High School in January 2019. B.J. was a student in defendant Dick's 12th-grade class. On Jan. 16, 2019, the defendant allegedly provided alcohol to the plaintiff, which was illegal and in violation of school policy. The lawsuit claims the defendant also provided her car keys and vehicle to the plaintiff while on school property. The plaintiff was accompanied by B.M. and they drove to Dairy Queen to bring Dick lunch back to school. B.M., who was 15 at the time of the incident, reportedly was driving and lost control, crashing and causing injuries to the plaintiff.
The defendant is accused of negligence.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Dan Snuffer of Preston & Salango PLLC in Charleston.
Mingo Circuit Court case number 19-C-71