Nugent Law Firm

As Reported in the Courier Post.

CAMDEN — The family of a deceased woman and another man who were passengers in a car driven by an off-duty state trooper, who was legally drunk when he hit a tree in 2007, have been awarded approximately $2.5 million.

Anthony Shendock of Atco was flown from the scene on Hayes Mill Road in Atco on Sept. 16 of that year. He was in the rear seat of the vehicle driven by Robert Parducci, Jr., 27, of Waterford, who was nearly three times over the legal limit when the crash occurred.

The friends were heading home around 2:53 a.m. from a local bar with Jennifer Kehril, 37, who they met while out.

An off-duty New Jersey State Trooper, Parducci was a two-year member of the agency.

Kehril’s survivors will receive $1.462 million while Shendock will get $1.12 million.

Shendock’s attorney, Charles H. Nugent, Jr. of Marlton, said the evening started at Rack’s Restaurant and Sports Bar before finishing at the former Dazzyo’s Bar and Grill on Route 73 in Winslow. Rack’s was not named in the suit and Dazzyo’s filed for bankruptcy prior to going to trial.

The defense contended that Parducci was not visibly intoxicated, presenting friends of the deceased and Shendock who testified to that. A bartender and an off-duty bartender also testified they did not exhibit signs of intoxication.

Witnesses called by Nugent and Alan Lands, attorney for Kehril’s estate, offered all those involved were “trashed” and “whacked”. Parducci’s blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was .20 percent.

An expert called at trial said that blood alcohol content that high could be fueled with approximately 16 beers.

“Four friends decided to go out and it ended in tragedy,” Nugent said. “Two lives have been lost and another has been permanently altered. It’s devastating to the families. It’s our opinion they were visibly intoxicated and shouldn’t have been served.”

Shendock, who owns a private concrete service, sustained a mild brain injury and fractures in the crash. He has since recovered.

Nugent said the law requires the plaintiff in this case to provide evidence that the bar was negligent in serving alcohol to someone who was already drunk.

The court found that the bar is 55 percent responsible for the incident, while 24 percent of the responsibility fell on Parducci and 18 percent on Kehril and Shendock for getting into Parducci’s vehicle.