Lawsuit details alleged assault at Tacos-N-Beer

Plaintiff received treatment at hospital for numerous injuries

The civil suit threatened by plaintiff Bradyn Sorrow against a local downtown restaurant has been filed against Tacos-N-Beer Bar and Grill.

Sorrow had announced he would file a suit against the downtown eatery after a recent incident in which several intoxicated patrons attacked him after hours at the restaurant, claiming the business was continuing to sell alcohol past 1 a.m. and had not prevented the assault.

The suit was filed Wednesday by local law firm Benton & Benton on behalf of Sorrow and is asking for special damages of more than $12,000 to cover the plaintiff ’s hospital bills, as well as general and punitive damages against Tacos-N-Beer to cover mental and physical suffering due to the incident.

According to the lawsuit, Sorrow was at Will Henry’s Tavern on June 16 in downtown Monroe around 1 a.m. when the restaurant closed, as the city’s ordinances do not allow alcohol sales past that time.

Sorrow and other patrons at the tavern were allegedly informed by Antonio Granados, identified as the manager of Tacos-N-Beer, that he would open the Mexican restaurant to them, allowing them to come in from the private rear entrance of the business rather than the street entrance. There, the suit claims, numerous individuals were allowed to purchase alcohol after 1 a.m. and continue drinking past the city’s legal alcohol curfew.

Around 2 a.m., Sorrow and a designated driver said they walked upstairs to find another friend so they could leave together, at which point Sorrow alleges Blake Clifton struck him without provocation and forced him down the stairs. The suit claims Clifton was visibly intoxicated and had been drinking after the 1 a.m. deadline when he struck Sorrow, following him down the stairs to continue the assault.

Sorrow was reportedly grabbed by his hair and dragged headfirst down the remainder of the stairs, at which point no less than four other individuals forced him to the ground and reportedly struck him in the head and torso. The suit further claims the management and employees of Tacos-N-Beer did nothing to either prevent the assault, break it up or call the police while the incident occurred.

Sorrow reportedly suffered lacerations to his face and arms, as well as contusions to his head, face, arms, back, legs and torso, which required treatment at Piedmont Walton.

The suit argues Tacos-N-Beer bears liability due to selling alcohol after 1 a.m. despite legal prohibitions, serving intoxicated patrons after that time and for not doing anything to ensure the safety of Sorrow and other patrons through inaction and neglect, showing willful misconduct and want of care.