A 2011 “Best Restaurant” winner is being sued for allowing the consumption of alcohol after hours by an employee that was later involved in a DUI homicide, as reported by The Post and Courier and other news sources.
The popular Husk restaurant on Queen Street in Charleston is named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Q.M., the man killed in a December 17 car accident that involved a Husk manager.
Assistant Manager A.J.B. allegedly had several drinks after hours, on restaurant premises, prior to getting into his Audi to drive home at approximately 4 a.m. A.J.B., 32, drove his Audi into the back of the Mustang that Q.M., 32, was driving on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
The lawsuit states that the force of the collision caused the Mustang to spin and run into a concrete barrier. While Q.M. was trapped in his car with “multiple body traumas” the vehicle burst into flames where he suffered “an excruciating death when his body was consumed by flames in the burning vehicle.”
Lawyers for the family contend that Husk was negligent in allowing an employee access to alcohol after hours, and then letting him drive off.
The suit, seeking unspecified damages, is on behalf of Q.M.’s father, T.M., who is a representative of the estate.
A.J.B. is facing a charge of felony DUI.
Husk has stated that their company no longer employs A.J.B.
Neighborhood Dining Group is the parent corporation for Husk. The president of that parent corporation, David Howard, released a statement that read, “On February 29th, Husk Restaurant was served a lawsuit in regards to the death of (Q.M.). While we are deeply saddened by this tragedy, unfortunately we are unable to respond to further questioning at this time due to legal complexities. Our hearts go out to the (M.) Family.”
As the legal closing time for bars to stop serving alcohol is 2 a.m., the suit alleges that Husk allowed A.J.B. to drink alcohol – and an excessive amount – beyond the legal closing time. Attorney Carl Pierce, for the family, alleged that allowing its employees access to alcohol after hours is a normal practice for the award-winning restaurant.
Pierce stated that the prosecution has evidence that A.J.B. not only drank after hours, but also that his blood alcohol percentage was 0.24. The legal driving limit is exactly one third of that amount, at 0.08 percent.
In regards to Husk’s responsibility Pierce said, “This was not a private residence. These are folks who should have known better. They are as much to blame, in our opinion, as the driver himself.”
Prosecutors and A.J.B.’s attorney, declined to comment.
A.J.B. is not named in the suit. According to court documents, he is free on $52,349 bail while awaiting trial.
In 2011 Husk was rated as the “Best New Restaurant in America” by Bon Appetit magazine and “Best New Restaurant in the South” by Southern Living magazine.
If you have lost a loved one in what may be a wrongful death, contact a personal injury lawyer right away. Oftentimes monetary awards are made for your damages.