Gang Fight At Park Tavern Delray Beach Leads To Major Lawsuit

Man Claims “Attack By ”Gang Attack.” Says Park Tavern Workers Did Nothing As Punches, Bottles Flew.

BY: LITIGATION DESK | BocaNewsNow.com

DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Park Tavern on Swinton in Delray Beach is facing a major lawsuit just filed in Palm Bach County Circuit Court. A man says he and his wife — both from Boynton Beach — were attacked by a gang of men upset that one of the victims was apparently speaking poorly about one of their friends. The suit claims Park Tavern workers did nothing as the gang attacked.

BocaNewsNow.com obtained the complaint just filed. These are the highlights:

“On May 21, 2022 the Plaintiff, PLINIO, was at PARK TAVERN with Valeria Plinio and sat at the bar area when they began talking to a female customer who they knew. The conversation with female involyed a discussion about a male who had previously made harassing and sexual advances toward Valerie and disturbing comments about the Plaintiff and Valerie’s relationship. This had occurred on many occasions prior to the night of May 21, 2022. The Plaintiff told the female he didn’t like this male person. A male customer over-heard the Plaintiffs comments about the harassing male and angrily told the Plaintiff he did not like those comments. The conversation between the Plaintiff and other male customer became heated. The male customer left the bar angrily and exited the PARK TAVERN. Within minutes, the male customer and the Plaintiff he had a heated conversation with came back to the PARK TAVERN with at least 5-6 other guys, including the male person the Plaintiff had made comments about harassing Valerie and the Plaintiff. These 5-6 males were friends of the other male and it was clear to the Plaintiff that this group wanted to attack him. They inquired to the Plaintiff as to why he spoke badly of their friend. As things heated up, the Plaintiff and Valerie attempted to leave. Throughout this situation there were no PARK TAVERN staff attempting to intervene to calm the situation or address the escalating situation.

As the Plaintiff and Valerie attempted to leave, the 5-6 men gang attacked the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff was kicked, punched, slammed and smashed with a bottle. The Plaintiff fought back, but the number of males attacking him was too much. Still, there were no PARK TAVERN staff or security who attempted to stop the assault. As the Plaintiff got away from the assault and attempted to leave the PARK TAVERN, none of the staff attempted to help him with his injuries. These injuries were severe. As he stood at the front of the PARK TAVERN, his leg was bleeding profusely with a large and jagged gash bleeding from below this knee. He had trauma to his head and was bleeding from his head. The PARK TAVERN staff provided no assistance. The Plaintiff was helped by Valerie to an area were there where police and an ambulance. The Ambulance staff immediately attended to his wounds and transported him to Baptist Bethesda hospital.

The group of 5-6 men who attacked the Plaintiff were customers who were regular customers and well known to the staff at the PARK TAVERN. The PARK TAVERN’S staff, and security did not do anything to address a clear situation that was going to escalate into violence between the 5-6 men and the Plaintiff. They knew or should have known based upon initial confrontation and the second confrontation that these 5-6 men intended on violently attacking the Plaintiff. Instead, the PARK TAVERN staff ignored this escalating situation and, as a result, allowed this attack to occur causing serious and significant injuries to the Plaintiff. Further, the PARK TAVERN staff failed to provide any medical assistance or contact any medical and/or police to address the injuries to the Plaintiff.

The Plaintiff specifically has sustained serious and significant bodily injury resulting in permanent injuries within reasonable degree of medical probability; significant and permanent scarring; significant loss of use of a limb; and has experienced physical pain and suffering; aggravation of pre-existing condition, mental pain and anguish, loss of enjoyment of life in the past and will continue to suffer such losses in the future. The Plaintiff has incurred and will continue to incur medical, nursing and other related expenses in the past and it is within reasonable certainty that he will suffer these future medical expenses in the future. The losses are either permanent or continuing, and Plaintiff, PLINIO, will suffer these losses in the future.”

The suit seeks in excess of $50,000 which is the statutory minimum for filing in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. The plaintiff is represented by Attorney Patrick Lawlor of Lawlor and Associates in Boca Raton. It was unclear who represents Modern Restaurant Group — owner of Park Tavern — as of late Thursday afternoon.