Woman Who Caused Massive Explosion In 2019 Is Suing UK Bar For Serving Her Alcohol

A woman convicted of impaired driving in a 2019 crash that led to a massive explosion in the United Kingdom is suing the food and beverage company that served her alcohol. 

According to The Independent, 26-year-old Daniella Leis crashed her car into a house in an east London neighbourhood in 2019. She slammed her vehicle into a home's gas line which later triggered an explosion, causing damages pegged at 8 million to 12 million pounds. Ms Leis pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021. 

Now, as per the outlet, the 26-year-old is filing a lawsuit against Ovations Ontario Food Services, alleging that the company shares some of the liability for civil lawsuits filed by victims of the blast against her and her father, Shawn Leis, over the explosion. In a statement of claim, the father and daughter are seeking a ruling that the food and beverage company is on the hook for "any awards or judgement amounts" stemming from six lawsuits launched against them by the explosion victims. 

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The lawsuit filed in a London court states that Ms Leis became intoxicated at Budweiser Gardens on 14 August 2019, the night of the crash and explosion, hence any damages caused to the victims were "caused or contributed to by the negligence, breach of duty, breach of contract" by the bar under the contravention of the Occupiers' Liability Act or Liquor Licence Act. It also says that the company served alcohol to Ms Leis when it knew she was intoxicated and did not train or supervise staff serving alcohol and "put profit above safety". 

As per the explosion case documents, Ms Leis had been driving home from a concert that night and drove the wrong way before slamming into a house, severing the brick house's gas line. According to The Independent, the explosion had injured around seven people and damaged four houses.