Local Couple Awarded $8M Verdict for Drunk Driving Collision
The team at Knapp & Roberts helped secure a $7.9 million verdict for a local man who was severely injured in a drunk driving collision in 2013.
Mark Dupray, an Anthem local, was riding his motorcycle to pick up groceries for his pregnant wife 3 ½ years ago, when he was struck by an intoxicated driver. Pedro Panameno, the driver who caused the collision, had a BAC of 0.154 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Panameno had just left Jaguars, a Phoenix strip club, where they had served him twelve drinks over the course of three hours.
The civil suit was filed in 2014, naming both Panameno and the company who operates Jaguars Phoenix as defendants in the case. The Duprays were looking for compensation for Mark’s medical bills, past and future lost wages, and stress the couple has experienced in relation to the horrific collision. Mark Dupray suffered severe injuries to his neck, back and arm, and will need additional surgeries on his neck in the future.
The jury awarded the Duprays a $7.9 million verdict; $5.4 million from the strip club and $2.5 million from Panameno. While the verdict must still be affirmed by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Martin, defendant Pedro Panameno has served three years and one month in prison for aggravated assault related to the collision.
No amount of money can erase what has been done to a family like the Duprays. Although Arizona has some of the strictest drunk driving laws in the nation, car accidents like this continue to occur. Bringing such a large case against both parties, Panameno and the bar, shows that there is a shared responsibility in serving and consuming alcohol.
Knapp & Roberts is dedicated to helping reduce drunk driving collisions in Arizona. While completely eliminating them is not possible, showing the public the severe consequences of engaging in the act, both physically and financially, can help discourage people from driving while intoxicated.
To hear attorney Craig Knapp speak more on the case, listen to his interview with KFYI Phoenix here:
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