A Pasadena, California vape shop along with Weedmaps are being sued by the mother of a 19-year-old who was fatally shot during a cannabis delivery in June 2019, Law360 reports. A 17-year-old boy was also injured in the incident.
Photon Muur filed the lawsuit in California Superior Court in Los Angeles County on Monday. The lawsuit intends to hold liable the parties she contends are responsible for the death of her son William Benjamin Harris IV, who was allegedly shot by Universal Stop Inc. employee David Christopher Gregorich during a cannabis delivery. Muur’s attorney, Shawn S. Rokni of West Coast Trial Lawyers APLC, told Law360 that Gregorich fired his weapon when he thought Harris was robbing him when he approached the vehicle.
Gregorich has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder, and shooting at an inhabited dwelling, the report says.
The lawsuit claims that Weedmaps and Universal Stop were aware that Gregorich carried weapons during his cannabis deliveries and that the companies “failed to provide adequate supervision and training … regarding the use of weapons in deliveries” and that the companies shouldn’t have even allowed the delivery to happen because Harris was under the legal age to purchase cannabis in California.
The lawsuit contends that because Gregorich had previous felony convictions, Weedmaps and Universal Stop should have kept a closer eye on the driver due to his “aggressive nature and propensity to harm others,” according to court documents.
“Universal Stop and Weedmaps knew, had reason to know or should have known the particular risks of having a poorly supervised, poorly trained, unfit employee like Gregorich, deliver marijuana to teenagers, while armed, in a poorly designated and unsafe environment.” – Muur in a statement to Law360
Other parties named in the lawsuit include Universal Stop owner Movses Movsisyan, and Ghost Management Group LLC, WM Holding Company LLC, and Weedmaps Media LLC – the three companies that own Weedmaps.
The lawsuit seeks damages for claims of negligence, battery, assault, and wrongful death against all of the defendants. Weedmaps and Universal Stop are additionally accused of negligent hiring, retention and supervision, according to the documents.
Muur is seeking both monetary and non-economic compensation for hardships stemming from her son’s death, including funeral and memorial service expenses, loss of financial support, and the loss of her son’s love and companionship, along with punitive damages.
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