Regal Beagle and driver blamed for Godrey accident

An Alton man is accused of crashing into a car full of people while allegedly driving drunk in Godfrey.

Christopher Mattila, Regal Beagle Inc. and Scot A. Roper are named as defendants in two separate lawsuits filed Feb. 28 in Madison County Circuit Court. Casey Hinton is the plaintiff in one lawsuit and Darlene Barr, individually and on behalf of two minor children, is named as plaintiff in the second.

According to both complaints, Hinton was driving his Pontiac Grand Am north on Humbert Road in April 2012 with Barr and her kids as passengers. Mattila was allegedly driving his Ford Explorer south on Humbert Road and crashed into Hinton's car. The plaintiffs allege Mattila was drunk at the time of the collision and, earlier in the day had been drinking at the Regal Beagle bar on Doral Drive.

Hinton and Barr accuse Mattila of negligence. They also claim the Regal Beagle and its owner, Roper, violated Illinois' Dram Shop Act by serving drinks to Mattila prior to the crash.

Hinton and Barr seek more than $700,000 in damages for medical expenses, lost wages and costs of the lawsuits.

Attorney Patrick G. Johnston of Edwardsville represents Hinton and Barr. They ask for a jury trial.

Madison County Circuit Court Case Nos. 13-L-333, 13-L-334