Just over a year ago, on Jan. 8, 2016, a 43-year-old man was at the Zodiac Bar in Akron, Ohio, about two hours away from Columbus. Just after midnight, the man got into an altercation with a 65-year-old man on the bar’s patio.
According to a lawsuit filed by the 43-year-old’s wife, the 65-year old man punched the other man three times in the head and then threw him into a couple of tables. The other bar patrons who were on the patio separated the pair. The 43-year-old man reportedly stopped for a second and then fell to the concrete floor.
While the other patrons gathered around the injured man, the 65-year-old left the patio area. Just a short while later, the man was pronounced dead. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the man died from “blunt force trauma” to his brain, which caused blood and swelling.
The 63-year-old man was charged with involuntary manslaughter, which is a first-degree felony. He pleaded guilty to the charge in November as part of a plea deal. The man could have gotten 11 years in prison but was sentenced to four years. The man has said he will seek an early release as soon as he is eligible.
There is video of the altercation, although it has no audio. This is not the first time that someone has been involved in a criminal incident in the bar. There were four other incidents before this fatal one.
The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the 65-year-old man injured the victim purposefully and that the bar didn’t provide a safe environment for its patrons, including the victim. The lawsuit seeks compensation for a variety of damages, including medical expenses, final expenses, lost support, punitive damages and attorney fees.
If a loved one was killed in an incident where he or she should have been kept safe, you may have a right to seek compensation. An attorney can provide more information on your legal options.
Source: ohio.com, “Wrongful death lawsuit filed against DJ and Akron bar in assault that left another man dead,” Stephanie Warsmith, Jan. 06, 2017