South Carolina Restaurants Sued for Over-Serving by Family of Boat Crash Victims

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Family members of a South Carolina boat crash victim are suing two restaurants accused of serving too much alcohol to the man charged with causing the crash.

The lawsuits filed Tuesday allege that the restaurants on Lake Murray served suspect Tracy Gordon, 53, beer and “several rounds of liquor shots,” on Sept. 21, shortly before he crashed his speed boat into a pontoon carrying Stanley Kiser and his wife and daughter, according to a copy of the complaint.

Kiser was pronounced dead at the scene and his wife had to have her leg amputated because of injuries sustained in the accident, the attorneys representing the family said. One of the couple’s daughters was also seriously injured.

The Kisers argued in their suits that the lakeside restaurants’ staffs kept serving Gordon alcohol after they “should have known that he was impaired.” The complaint also accused the eateries of negligence for failing to ensure Gordon would not operate his boat after drinking, according to the documents.

The co-owner of Liberty Tap Room, one of the restaurants named, told The State he thinks they will likely be dismissed from the suit “once the facts unfold.” The newspaper said representatives for the other restaurant, the Rusty Anchor, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Gordon was charged with felony boating under the influence resulting in death and two counts of felony boating under the influence resulting in great bodily injury, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.