AUSTIN – The household of a Poteet police officer who was killed by a suspected drunk driver whereas working a contract job in Austin has filed a wrongful demise lawsuit in opposition to the driving force that hit him and the bar that served the driving force — they usually’re looking for greater than $1 million in damages.
Jeffrey Richardson, 35, was struck and killed on June 29 whereas working within the 11700 block of N Mopac Expressway.
Investigators recognized the driving force as Lindsay Smith, 26.
On Wednesday, Richardson’s household and their legal professional held a press convention on the Travis County Civil Courthouse.
“We need to make sure that his demise and the void that his passing has left in every of our lives doesn’t occur to your family members,” stated Joe Richardson, brother of Jeffrey Richardson.
In response to the search warrant affidavit for DWI testing after Smith’s arrest, Smith admitted to consuming two combined drinks at a sushi restaurant, adopted by two martinis at Lavaca Bar, two martinis and an unknown amount of photographs at Jack and Ginger’s earlier than driving.
That affidavit states that Smith drove her Toyota by way of development barricades and hit Richardson at such a excessive charge of velocity that he was despatched airborne and landed greater than 100 ft away.
“Jeff was a household man, devoted husband, loving father, beloved son and brother. He beloved endlessly. He was hardworking and would do something for anybody at a second’s discover. He didn’t should lose his life within the method that he did,” Joe Richardson stated throughout Wednesday’s press convention.
The Richardson household legal professional, Stephen Stewart, stated Smith selected to drink and drive and stated Jack and Ginger’s continued to serve her alcohol.
“By way of this case, the Richardson household desires to make sure that alcohol-related crashes merely don’t occur. By way of this case, the Richardson household desires to make sure that sellers and servers of alcoholic drinks do their job accurately,” Stewart stated.
The legal professional additionally stated there are lots of choices to soundly get a trip. A message that’s particularly necessary earlier than the New 12 months’s vacation.
“There’s merely no excuse for getting behind the wheel when one’s intoxicated, particularly when doing so causes critical accidents, can kill harmless individuals and tragically affect the lives of victims perpetually as was the case with the Richardson household,” Stewart stated.
Fox 7 in Austin stated Smith’s legal professional and the proprietor of Jack and Ginger’s stated they may not touch upon the case.
Courtroom data present Smith was initially booked into the Travis County Jail on a cost of intoxication manslaughter inflicting the demise of a peace officer, with a bond of $250,000.
Her bond was decreased with circumstances that she not journey exterior Travis County, have any contact with Richardson’s household, go into any bars or eat alcohol.
She has a pre-trial listening to set for January.
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