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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Man beaten after asking bar patron to stop fondling his wife, suit claims

A Madison County man claims a patron at a Cottage Hills bar beat him after the man asked the patron to stop fondling his wife.

Joshua Harrop filed a lawsuit May 28 in Madison County Circuit Court against Keith Grench; Mike Schlemer doing business as Schlemer's; Michael Schlemer; Schlemer III, Mike Schlemer Inc. and Jessica Schlemer.

Harrop claims he, his wife and their friends decided to visit Schlemer's at 109 MacArthur Dr. in Cottage Hills on March 27, 2009, when Grench began battering Harrop's wife, grabbing her butt several times.

Harrop requested Grench stop the offensive behavior, but Grench refused to follow Harrop's request, according to the complaint.

"The Plaintiff, Joshua Harrop stepped outside of Schlemer's for a bit of fresh air," the suit states. "A short time later Michelle Harrop went out and found Joshua Harrop beaten and bleeding. The Plaintiff's face and shirt were covered with a large amount of blood."

At about 1:16 a.m., Michelle Harrop, Joshua Harrop's wife, flagged down a Madison County sheriff deputy for assistance, the complaint says.

Because of the incident, Joshua Harrop claims he became sick, sore, lame and disordered; experienced pain and suffering; incurred medical costs; suffered a loss of his earning capacity; lost wages; and endured disability and disfigurement.

He partially blames Schlemer's and Schlemer III, Mike Schlemer for causing the incident, saying the bar failed to prevent the altercation, failed to render assistance to Harrop, failed to call the police, failed to call an ambulance or emergency medical technicians, ejected Harrop from the building without rendering proper medical aid, failed to eject Grench, failed to provide adequate security, failed to escort from the premises patrons who served as a threat to others and failed to remove those patrons who served as a threat to business invitees.

As a Schlemer's employee, Jessica Schlemer had a duty to prevent, or employ adequate security to prevent, others from being attacked, but failed in her duty, according to the complaint.

In his 10-count suit, Joshua Harrop seeks a judgment of more than $500,000, plus attorneys' fees, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Michael E. Reid of Edwardsville will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-575.

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