South Carolina Bar Ordered to Pay $3.85M for Serving Drunk Driver

A Richland, South Carolina jury has ruled that a local bar owes $3.85 million in a negligence verdict issued in connection with the bar’s role in serving liquor to a drunken man who later was in a wreck that killed a 6-year-old girl.

The State newspaper reports the jury found the Loose Cockaboose Sports Bar was serving liquor after a state-mandated closing time and that it served an obviously intoxicated Billy Patrick Hutto.

Several hours later, Hutto was involved in a wreck that killed 6-year-old Emma Longstreet.

Hutto is serving a 10-year prison sentence for felony DUI involving death.

A lawyer for the Loose Cockaboose argued there was not enough convincing evidence to prove the sports bar had served any liquor to Hutto.