Two Jefferson City bars named in lawsuit over deadly car crash

An eastern Missouri man filed a lawsuit against two Jefferson City bars Tuesday.

James Lovelace, of Moscow Mills, filed the suit in Moniteau County court against Spectators and The Mission.

The bars played a “direct and proximate” role in the death of his 20-year-old son, Graden Lovelace, who died after crashing into Joshua Blankenship on Highway 50 in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2016, according to court documents.

Blankenship was served alcohol at Spectators, then at The Mission on Aug. 12, before the crash.

Lovelace claimed both bars “knowingly served intoxicating liquor to Blankenship while he was visibly intoxicated.”

Lovelace is seeking at least $25,000, which is the minimum amount required for circuit court cases, from both restaurants.

“We didn’t force the guy to drink, we didn’t force him to drive,” said Scot Drinkard, the owner of Spectators. “There are a lot of factors between the time (Blankenship) left here, if he was intoxicated, and the time he had his accident. I just don’t know how that’s on us.”

Drinkard said he does not recall the night of Aug. 12, 2016 but denies the claim his bar played a role in the deadly crash. “At some point in time, you have to take responsibility for your own actions,” he said.

Mark Cantor, a St. Louis personal injury attorney representing Lovelace in the case, did not comment specifically on the case but did explain his firm’s view on injuries caused by drunken drivers.

“We take drunk driving very seriously, and we look at all the causes of drunk driving. One of those causes, unfortunately, is when a bar, for profit, knowingly over serves a patron that will then drive,” Cantor said. “That’s called dram shop liability.”

Dram shop laws vary from state to state, but in general hold alcohol vendors at fault for over-serving patrons who later cause damage. Missouri state statute specifies that a person can hold a vendor at fault if there is clear evidence the patron was “visibly intoxicated” when served, which is described as “significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction.”

“If a bar knowingly serves an intoxicated person that then goes and kills one of my clients, you can bet we’re going to sue them,” Cantor said.