Man paralyzed in fight at Downtown McDonald’s sues restaurant
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A man left paralyzed after a Nov. 4 assault outside the McDonald’s restaurant on Wood Street in Downtown Pittsburgh is suing the company and the franchise operator of the location for negligence.
The suit was filed Wednesday in Allegheny County court by a Pittsburgh law firm on behalf of Mark Conn and seeks unspecified damages for negligence.
Conn was blindsided by a blow to the back of his head and neck, according to the lawsuit. He fell to the ground, landing face-first on the pavement, and suffered three fractured vertebrae, spinal cord impingement, a traumatic brain injury and other injuries that left him a quadriplegic.
The lawsuit alleges the restaurant failed to provide adequate security at the location and didn’t have or enforce policies to prevent hiring employees with violent criminal backgrounds. McDonald’s is liable for the conduct of their employees and in this case the actions of the employees were outrageous, egregious and showed reckless indifference to Conn, the lawsuit stated.
Officials from McDonald’s and Santonastasso Enterprises, the Waynesburg-based owner of six McDonald’s locations, didn’t respond to requests seeking comment. A manager at the restaurant said he was unaware of the suit and declined further comment.
Conn was eating at the restaurant with his wife when a man who appeared to be friends with employees at the restaurant made a “threatening and derogatory” comment to Conn’s wife, starting an argument, according to the lawsuit.
An employee also became involved, and Conn tried to defuse the situation, according to the lawsuit. Another employee entered the fray, and the fight moved outside. A third employee and another woman also fought with the couple, according to the suit.
The lawsuit described the Wood Street location as a high-crime area that was known to be a previous haven for criminal activity and stated that the restaurant should have had more security and better-trained and screened employees.
Roneese Davis, 24, of Pittsburgh’s Perry North Neighborhood, is facing charges of aggravated assault for hitting Conn, and others are facing lesser charges from the fight. Davis is awaiting arraignment on the charge.