Woman robbed at Rainbow Liquor Mart sues owners

A St. Clair County woman who was shopping at an East St. Louis liquor store is suing the store and its owner over an alleged robbery.

Thisha Mayes is seeking more than $50,000 after she claims she was assaulted and robbed as she was leaving Rainbow Liquor Mart on Aug. 6, 2007.

In the suit she filed March 9 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Mayes claims numerous violent crimes happened at Rainbow Liquor Mart before she became a victim. Therefore, Rainbow Liquor Mart and its owner, Carl E. Hall, should have known there was a good chance that someone would endanger customers, but they took no precautions to protect customers, according to the suit.

"Defendants were aware of the presence of the individual who assaulted plaintiff on August 6, 2007 in sufficient time to have taken precautions to prevent this individual, Raphel Wright, from assaulting and injuring plaintiff," the suit states.

The attack caused Mayes to sustain sprains and strains of the soft and supportive tissue of her neck and related trauma that necessitated an interior cervical discectomy and fusion, according to the complaint.

The strength, mobility and weight bearing properties and ranges of motion of Mayes' neck and upper back have been permanently impaired, lessened and restricted, plus she suffers from pain and emotional and psychological injuries and has incurred medical expenses of more than $75,000, the suit states.

Mayes claims her ability to work has been lessened, along with her ability to enjoy life and her ability to engage in recreational activities.

In addition to more than $50,000, Mayes is seeking costs.

John D. Warner Jr. of Gault and Warner in Clayton will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-0121.