A Canadian woman, after driving while intoxicated and resulting in a deadly crash that caused ten million dollars worth of destruction, is now suing the concert venue that served her alcoholic beverages. She alleges their negligence was the cause of this tragedy.
Catastrophe ensued on August 2019 as Daniella Leis, 26, drove back to her home after attending a Marilyn Manson concert at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. This incident was reported by the CBC and later referred to as the “car bomb” fiasco.
After an irresponsible act of drinking and driving, Leis’ Ford Fusion crashed into a residence at 450 Woodman Ave., causing considerable damage to four homes as well as leaving seven people seriously injured. The collision ruptured a gas line which ignited a tremendous explosion.
The fall of intense embers sparked severe fires in nearby houses, prompting the evacuation of the entire neighborhood and the disconnection of gas and water services. According to reports, damages from this incident amounted to a staggering $9.8 million to $14.7 million.
“The financial impact of Ms. Leis’ actions have been enormous, with a total damage estimate approaching $15 million,” Judge George Orsini said.
Tragically, four individuals were injured in the incident – two police officers and two firefighters. One firefighter was hospitalized for over a week until he recovered sufficiently enough to be released from care.
In 2021, Leis was convicted of four counts of impaired driving and received a three-year prison sentence as punishment.
Nevertheless, the Canuck refused to forfeit her chance of relieving financial pressure.
This month, Shawn and his daughter, Leis, submitted a lawsuit against Ovations Ontario Food Services for their part in the tragedy. They claim that staff at the venue recklessly removed her from the premises without ensuring she was unable to get behind the wheel of a car. As per legal documents filed by them, it is specified that this misstep renders them liable for what happened thereafter.
Furthermore, Leis also accused Ovations of serving her alcohol while mindful that she was heavily intoxicated and prioritizing their “profit above safety.” According to Leis, the irreparable damage that was “caused or contributed to by the negligence, breach of duty, breach of contract” in fulfilling their duties and contractual obligations were contributing factors leading up to this incident.
The victims of Woodman Avenue believe that, as part of the reparations owed to them, the booze distributor must cover “any awards or judgment amounts” resulting from any court claims they have brought against them.
If somehow, the father-daughter team is obliged to pay any amount of money for damages then they are “entitled to contribution and indemnity from [Ovations].”
