SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) – Paradise Ridge Winery will pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit brought after a teen driver was served beer at a wedding reception there and later crashed his car.
Sean Bradley was convicted of drunken driving and served jail time in the 2006 crash, which caused brain injury to his friend, Joshua Apodaca. The victim’s family sued the winery and the owners of a Sebastopol 7-Eleven, where the 19-year-olds reportedly later bought beer.
Under the court-approved settlement, 7-Eleven also will pay $500,000 and Bradley $105,000 to Apodaca. The money covers attorney fees, Apodaca’s care and will buy him a house equipped for the disabled.
Bradley says a bartender at the winery served him six to eight beers even though he told them he had left his identification in the car.