A Gwinnett County restaurant is facing a lawsuit that says it should have stopped serving alcohol to two men now facing charges in connection with a fatal wreck last December.
The family of Eddie Ko filed the suit, which also targets 22-year-old Soon Mo Kwon and his friend Gho H. Lee. Ko, 23, was killed from injuries he suffered when his vehicle was struck Dec. 12 by a Lexus that Kwon was driving.
The suit says that the wait staff at the Cafe Todahmgol "knew or should have known" that Kwon and Lee would soon by driving.
The lawsuit says Kwon and Lee left the Korean barbecue restaurant in separate cars around 3 a.m. On the way, according to a police report, the Lexus that Kwon was driving sideswiped a Kia Forte driven by Lee on Steve Reynolds Boulevard near Satellite Boulevard. The Lexus then veered into oncoming traffic, striking a vehicle driven by Ko head-on.
Ko died shortly after being hospitalized. A passenger in the Lexus, Se Shin, 22, also died.
Blood tests showed Kwon and Lee were under the influence of alcohol, said Chris Simon, who is representing Ko's mother in the wrongful death suit.
The lawsuit filed in August in Gwinnett County State Court seeks unspecified damages from Kwon, Lee and AKO Corp., the Duluth-based parent company of Cafe Todahmgol.
The lawsuit also names In J. Kwon, the owner of the Lexus, and Tony Ka, the owner of the Kia.
Attorney Tom Brennan, who represents Lee, could not be reached Friday, nor could attorney Josh Stein, who represents the cafe.
Kwon's lawyer, Kimberly McNamara, did not return calls Friday.
Kwon is awaiting trial in Gwinnett County on charges of vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, DUI and improper lane change. Lee is charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license and making false statements.
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