Several years ago at a St. Louis area Starbucks, Roger Kreutz, then 54, saw Aaron Poisson, then 19, snatch the tip jar from the counter and run off. Kreutz gave chase and as Poisson tried to getaway in his car, he knocked Kreutz to the ground. Sadly, Kreutz died of head injuries. Poisson served a year in prison for involuntary manslaughter. But last Monday, Kreutz’s relatives filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Not against Poisson, mind you, but against Starbucks. From St. Louis Today:
It alleges that Starbucks “did not employ security to prevent the perpetration of such crimes” and that it “invited the act of perpetration of said crime” by having a tip jar.
As a “direct and proximate” result of this, Kreutz was killed after he was hit by the car, the filing claims.
It says Starbucks had a duty to “exercise reasonable care” to protect Kreutz or give him adequate warning against harm.
“Estate of man sues Starbucks over death” (Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)