Police Officer’s Family Sues over Death by Drunk Driver One Year Ago

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SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Oct. 14 2011 — The Crosley Law Firm is currently representing the family of San Antonio police officer Sergio Antillon, who died 15 days after being struck by a drunk driver on October 14, 2010. The family filed suit today against the drunk driver of the vehicle that struck him, a second drunk driver to whom the officer had stopped to render aid, and the bar and bartender who are accused of over-serving alcoholic drinks to one of the drunk drivers shortly before the fatal accident.

Off-duty and on his way home from work, Officer Antillon, only 25 years of age, stopped to aid a stranded motorist around 3:00 a.m. on Loop 410 near Military Drive. Officer Antillon was on the shoulder of the road, assisting the stranded motorist when Sandra Briggs drove into them. Officer Antillon was thrown 125 feet causing him to sustain massive injuries. The stranded motorist was thrown over the guardrail and also sustained serious injuries. Briggs was later charged with one count of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault.

The suit filed by the Antillon family claims that both Briggs and the stranded motorist, Alfredo G. Araguz, III, were intoxicated.  Further investigations by law enforcement officials revealed that Araguz had also been driving while intoxicated prior to his losing control of his pickup truck that night.

Investigations have also revealed that Briggs frequented The Bunratty Pub on Fredericksburg Road and that she appeared obviously intoxicated when she was served numerous drinks by the bartender on duty that evening, Kathy Foshee. An employee of a nearby fast food restaurant even recalled seeing an intoxicated Briggs come through the drive-thru lane after leaving The Bunratty Pub.

“This tragedy was preventable on so many levels,” said attorney Tom Crosley of the Crosley Law Firm in San Antonio, “Officer Antillon’s death was the result of the reckless conduct of two drunk drivers who shouldn’t have been behind the wheel, and a bar and bartender who violated the law by continuing to serve alcohol to a woman who was already intoxicated, only to allow her to get in her car and put others in danger.” Crosley represents Officer Antillon’s family.

Officer Antillon graduated from the academy on August 20, 2010. A life as a police officer was what he had always dreamed of.

“Prevention begins with awareness and accountability,” said attorney Crosley. The Antillon family hopes that by taking this case to court, they might raise awareness about the dangers of driving while intoxicated and the devastation it can cause.

The lawsuit comes on the one-year anniversary of the senseless accident.