An Arizona high school grad's senior skip day devolved into horror after he seriously injured himself. And now, as reported by the New York Post, he's suing the houseowners for negligence.
Blake Barnes had his ear torn off after a pool stunt went horribly wrong on April 13. The Desert Vista High School graduate had been drinking despite being underage. His blood alcohol content measured in at a horrifying 0.114.
He smashed his head straight into the pool deck during the stunt, which ended up being filmed. The incident occurred during a senior "skip day", where over 100 seniors had descended on the house of Brandon and Megan Spencer.
Barnes is now suing. His legal team claims that the Spencers knew that a large number of people there weren't allowed to drink. The poster advertising the skip day even apparently advertised that high schoolers should bring their own bottles of booze.
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The Suing Teen's Lawyer Weighed In on the Situation
Barnes' lawyer, Brian Foster, explained the reasons why they were suing. "My guy actually hit his head on the pool deck and sustained a concussion, tore his ear off. Fire and EMT personnel responded. He was unconscious, floating lifeless in the pool."
He continued, "100 or 150 people who attended this raging senior ditch-day party. And in the written notification, he told everybody to bring your own alcohol."
The lawyer is certainly aware of the bad look that comes from Barnes having such a high blood alcohol content. But, he thinks that the onus should be on the Spencers, because they knowingly provided the alcohol.
"Look, it's certainly not a great fact that my client consumed alcohol and had a blood alcohol content," he explained. "But the fact of the matter is the alcohol was provided at the host party at the home where he attended, and the owners of the home knew or should have known that their son was having this rager."
The specific reasons that Barnes is suing include for "current and future medical expenses related to the incident", as well as "damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more."
