Repeat Drunk Driver And Joliet Bar Sued By Woman Left Disabled

JOLIET, IL - A woman who suffered several fractures to her spine on March 10, after police say a repeat drunken driver ran a red light, has filed a civil lawsuit against Billy Ray Jones and a Joliet bar the man patronized before the crash, according to court records. Magalie Merisca is suing Jones and Double J Sports Bar for negligence and dram shop act violations.

Merisca suffered fractures in three regions of her spine, requiring reconstructive surgery, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit claims Merisca's car was hit by Jones' truck as she turned south through the intersection of Essington and Caton Farm Roads. The lawsuit states that Jones was under the influence of alcohol, and that he failed to obey the traffic control signal at the busy intersection.

In March, Joliet Patch reported that 48-year-old Billy Ray Jones, who lives in Joliet's 2500 block of Lockner Boulevard, has two prior drunken driving convictions. After the March crash, Jones was jailed on four felony charges of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. One of the criminal counts alleges that the blood-alcohol concentration for Jones was at least two times above the state's legal limit of 0.08.

Two of the charges accuse Jones of third-offense drunken driving.

The recent civil lawsuit names Double J Sports Bar as a codefendant because, "Double J … sold and served alcoholic beverages to Billy R. Jones at the Double J Sports Bar," the lawsuit states. "On or about March 10, 2018, the alcoholic beverages sold and served to defendant, Billy R. Jones, at the Double J Sports Bar caused his intoxication," the lawsuit alleges.

The Joliet bar on the city's west side is located in the 1000 block of Essington Road inside a commercial strip plaza not far from Black Road.

Joliet Patch contacted the owner of Double J Sports Bar on Thursday evening. He called Patch back and said he wanted to speak with his insurance representatives before issuing any public statements about the recently filed lawsuit against his business.

The lawsuit filed by the Chicago law firm, Levin & Perconti, alleges that "as a licensed seller of alcohol, the defendant, Double J, is liable for any injuries caused by any intoxicated person whose intoxication is caused by the defendant, Double J."

As for Jones, Will County jail logs show that he has remained in the county detention facility since March 10, the night of his arrest by the Joliet Police Department.

Mugshot of Billy Ray Jones via Will County Sheriff, main image via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor