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Topics: Canada, News, World News
Joe Harker
A woman who caused $10 million in damages by crashing into a house and triggering an explosion is suing the bar which served her alcohol that night.
In 2019, Daniella Leis crashed into a house in London, Ontario while drunk and broke a gas line.
First responders were able to rescue her from the wreckage and evacuate the surrounding area after they discovered the gas leak, but around 15 minutes after the crash, the ruptured line exploded.
Four houses in total were destroyed as neighbouring homes were set on fire and debris was flung almost 200 metres by the blast.
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Nobody was killed in the explosion but seven people were injured by the blast, while Leis was found to be two and a half times over the legal alcohol limit.
She had been attending a Marilyn Manson concert held at the Budweiser Gardens and was driving home when the crash occurred.
Leis was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 after pleading guilty to four counts of impaired driving.
However, she and her father Shawn are now filing a lawsuit of their own against the company that owns the bar she was drinking at, Ovations Ontario Food Services.
In a statement filed with a court in London, Leis is hoping her lawsuit will result in a court ruling that shows the company is responsible for 'any awards or judgment amounts' she might be liable for from victims of the explosion.
She alleges that they share some of the liability for the crash, claiming that staff at the bar 'knew or ought to have known that she was intoxicated or would become intoxicated', while alleging that the company failed to have properly trained bouncers who could monitor how intoxicated patrons were.
The filing also says her 'intended mode of transportation' was not checked as she left Budweiser Gardens, and claims that staff ejected her from the venue without ensuring she wouldn't drive home.
According to her court filing, Leis is currently facing six lawsuits from the victims of the gas explosion, and if those lawsuits result in her having to pay damages, she is claiming she is 'entitled to contribution and indemnity' from Ovations Ontario Food Services.
They are being accused of having 'put profit above safety', and Leis claims that under the Occupiers’ Liability Act or Liquor Licence Act, they are partially liable for the damages from the crash as they 'caused or contributed to by the negligence, breach of duty, breach of contract'.
UNILAD has contacted Ovations Ontario Food Services for comment.