Family of West Mifflin man killed in alleged DUI crash sues driver and bar
Two weeks after police charged an alleged drunk driver in the death of a West Mifflin man, that man's family is taking action.
The Wobrak family is suing the driver and the West Elizabeth business that served him alcohol that afternoon earlier this year, claiming they were negligent, causing the death of their loved one in a crash in Jefferson Hills.
Christine Kelley feels her heart ache every day, a deep physical pain inside, after the death of her dad, John Wobrak.
"He was such a good, good man, did not deserve to be taken that way," Kelley said. "I don't know if I'll ever feel myself or feel normal again."
It was the afternoon of March 14 when the 69-year-old Wobrak was doing what he loved, riding his motorcycle, when Jefferson Hills police said the driver of a Jeep went into his lane on Scotia Hollow Road and hit him head-on. Police said the driver never used the brakes before hitting Wobrak.
Police arrested the Jeep's driver, 42-year-old William Haughey Jr., on charges that he killed Wobrak while driving drunk.
"It took him three minutes, and my poor dad, just out doing what he loved and what he enjoyed, couldn't even react, didn't even have time to try to save himself," Kelley said.
Three minutes is what police said it took Haughey to leave Beer Belly's Bar and Grill in West Elizabeth and crash into Wobrak, with employees noticing he was "slurring his words."
Now Haughey, along with that establishment and the employees who served him, are named defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Wobrak's brother on behalf of Wobrak's estate for Kelley. They're being represented by Pribanic & Pribanic.
"They just were completely ignorant to the fact that he could get in his car, leave and kill somebody, and that's exactly what happened," Kelley said.
The suit claims Wobrak was killed "as a direct result of the negligence, carelessness, and reckless indifference of the ... defendants."
It also alleges the bar violated the Pennsylvania Dram Shop Act, meaning a business selling alcohol has a legal responsibility to prevent a visibly intoxicated person from causing harm to others.
Kelley hopes this is a step forward in trying to find some peace.
"I'll never stop fighting for him. I just wanted to do everything possible that I could to get justice for my dad," Kelley said.
Workers at the bar told KDKA the owner has no comment on the lawsuit. KDKA reached out to Haughey's criminal attorney, David Shrager, but did not hear back on Friday night.
Haughey remains at the Allegheny County Jail without bail.