Downtown bar, UGA students face lawsuit after deadly DUI crash

Her son was killed by a drunk driver in April in Athens: now his mother is suing four University of Georgia students and the downtown bar in which they were drinking before the fatal DUI crash. 34 year-old Michael Kitchen was killed. The 21 year-old UGA student who was driving the car that hit Kitchen was arrested shortly after the April 30 accident.

Defendants in the mother’s lawsuit, including the Cloud Bar on East Clayton Street, are accused of negligence.

From the Ga News Network…

Officials say 34 year-old Michael Jerrell Kitchen was struck by a car in the early morning of April 30th and died from his injuries. Police say the driver, a 21 year-old UGA student, and his three passengers left the scene of the crash and the driver was later arrested.

Cops say he admitted to drinking at the Cloud Athens nightclub before the fatal accident. Classic City News reports the lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the students for failing to prevent the driver from getting behind the wheel. The bar is also being sued for allegedly serving the driver while knowing he was already intoxicated.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the victim’s life and punitive damages to be determined by a jury.

©2024 Cox Media Group