An Alexander County bar owner is seeking to take a suit filed in St. Clair County by a patron who claims to have been injured in a bar fight back to its home county.
Clinton County resident Timothy Stempel filed suit against Zachary Lee Aldrich, Hush Puppy Bar & Grill and its owner, Dana Weber, The Pony, Charles Westlund and S.J.C. Illinois LLC for injuries he claims to have suffered when Aldrich attacked him in December 2009.
The attack allegedly occurred as Aldrich attacked Stempel after the pair consumed more than 15 beers at both The Pony and Hush Puppy.
In addition to battery claims the plaintiff is pursuing against Aldrich, he is also seeking damages from the bars and their owners for negligence and violations of the Illinois Liquor Control Act.
The suit seeks damages in excess of $200,000 and costs.
S.J.C. Illinois filed a motion March 15 asking St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto to
send the suit back to Alexander County.
The defendant argues that Alexander County is a more appropriate venue for the case because it is where the alleged incident took place and that the case lacks a connection to St. Clair County.
Michael McGlynn represents Stempel.
Jon Shelton represents S.J.C. Illinois.
Aldrich wrote a letter to the court March 12 informing the judge that he was, at that time, incarcerated elsewhere on a different matter and unable to attend hearings in the St. Clair County case.
Aldrich's letter also informs the judge that he is without counsel in the civil case.
The case is St. Clair case number 10-L-660.