Strip Club Paying $10.5 Million For Monster Truck Death

Dallas, TX – A jury has awarded the family of Kasey McKenzie, 23, $10.5 million for a March 2011 vehicular accident that claimed her life in the parking lot of a Dallas gentleman’s club.

McKenzie was inadvertently crushed by a “monster truck” driven by Eric Crutchfield, a young man who was allowed to leave the club, the Spearmint Rhino, intoxicated and who proceeded to operate his vehicle under the influence.

“Mr. Crutchfield arrived at the club around 10 [pm],” said Michael Schmidt, the attorney for McKenzie’s parents. “He was at the club for four hours, and he was served in excess of 10 drinks and shots while he was in the club.”

The lawsuit states that Crutchfield’s blood alcohol content was over twice the legal limit. The young man is now serving a nine-year sentence for manslaughter.

“We believe that obviously he was intoxicated; it was apparent to the bartender and the club that he was intoxicated, and he got behind the wheel of his monster truck and ran over Kasey McKenzie,” Schmidt said.

NBC News reports that liability of the event falls to the club under what’s referred to as the “dram shop” doctrine. Since the club served someone who was clearly intoxicated, they were held partially responsible for the accident. CBS DFW said that Crutchfield was found responsible for 30 percent while The Spearmint Rhino was found responsible for 70.

The $10.5 million strip club judgment may be the biggest dram shop case the city has seen since 1985.