Families of 2 men who died, 1 who survived DUI crash accuse Dauphin County bar of 'overserving' them

[left-of-center2012]

Families of two passengers who died and a third man who survived a DUI crash last year have filed lawsuits against a bar where they were drinking prior to the crash and the estate of the driver.

The parents of Kijowski, Shovlin and Wilk have filed lawsuits against Mulroy’s estate and PJ Whelihan’s Pub and Restaurant on counts of negligence, wrongful death and survival action. The families say staff at PJ Whelihan’s should not have served the friends as much as they did because they were “visibly intoxicated.” Their level of intoxication then factored into Mulroy’s decision to drive and the other three passengers to get into a car with him behind the wheel.

The lawsuits, filed earlier this year, claim the four graduates from Central Dauphin High School were overserved to the point they chose an unsafe method of transportation after leaving the bar.

Mackenzie P. Mulroy was driving three of his lifelong friends ... to another bar the evening of Jan. 9, 2021 when the out-of-control vehicle slammed into a tree, according to court records.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/04/families-of-2-men-who-died-1-who-survived-dui-crash-accuse-dauphin-county-bar-of-over-serving-them.html

[NoRethugFriends]

1. Gimme a break

[left-of-center2012]

2. Actually there is a law in many states

A law that makes it illegal for a bar to serve someone who appears to be intoxicated.
It would make sense that the bar could also be held civilly liable.

[NoRethugFriends]

5. I understand that

The families did not sustain a financial loss. No reason for financial compensation.
Great to fine the restaurant though.
For some reason I never drove drunk, nor did my kids. Could be how I and they were raised.
It's not a given that "boys will be boys".

[left-of-center2012]

6. "The families did not sustain a financial loss."

No, it's about some people dying because the bar kept giving them booze.

[NoRethugFriends]

7. Right. So go after the bar

[left-of-center2012]

9. First line of the OP

They have filed a lawsuit against the bar

[NoRethugFriends]

10. no, I mean the state should go after the bar.

No financial reward for the parents of drunk drivers. Or the kids who rode with one.

[brewens]

3. I worked for a Budweiser distributor for years. Back in the 80's and 90's. About everything we got

about responsible drinking was just legal disclaimer bullshit. Yeah, we gave the bar managers the drink responsibly materials and we all watched the video. Mission accomplished. If a lawsuit got all the way to the brewery, we warned everyone.

Then all of us were right there drinking in those bars watching everyone go ahead and roll the dice anyway. I can't remember the stats for sure, but it was something like 20% of the beer drinkers drink 80% of the beer. We knew we made our living on the guys that got drunk all the time. It's way better than it was, but I still can't believe the DUI's our cops write. You have no chance at all to behave like we did back then and get away with it long.

[msongs]

4. I choose not to control my drinking so its your fault. nice nt

[relayerbob]

8. While I do think bartenders should keep an eye out

for people who are over-indulging, it seems to me that the responsilibilty of lifting the drink up to your mouth and then getting behind the wheel of a car is entirely the responsilibilty of the drinker. C'mon, they were on theit way to *another bar*. They OVERDRANK. Period.