Garza
v. Sullivan
 $9
Million wrongful death and personal injury verdict awarded
by Indio Court after settlement against employer of
drunk driver for $3.1 Million. Garo Mardirossian won
a bench trial verdict before Judge Fry of Riverside
Country. The defendant is the heir of a walthy vineyard
owner. At the time, he was employed as an Assistant
Golf Pro at the Doral Country Club in Palm Springs.
He had clocked off duty, and was assisting at a putting
contest for a charity police and firefighters event.
At the event and later at a hospitality suite in the
hotel, he drank alcohol and became intoxicated. On his
way home, he rear-ended a vehicle. The decedent was
a 14 year old, Raymond Garza, who was riding in the
bed of a pickup truck, whithout a seat or seatbelt and
was killed. The injured were three other teenage occupant
of the pickup truck along with the adult driver. The
verdict was $5 Million for the wrongful death and $4
Million for the other occupants of the vehicle.
The defense firm was the same Hollins & Schacter
of Orange County, who defended the Ford dealership in
the Gozukara case handled by Garo resulting in a precedent
setting verdict against the Ford Explorer in Barstow.
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