As Seen On:
NorthPark Center is facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit for the wrongful death of a patron and the serious injury to his best friend. Attorney Marc Lenahan believes joyriding has been happening at NorthPark Center parking garage for years.
[News Anchor]
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against NorthPark Center after a car killed one man and seriously injured another in the Nordstrom parking garage. The lawsuit says the shopping mall was negligent for not addressing what their attorney calls a long time fast and furious joy riding problem. Fox News Natalie Seles in North Dallas with the story Natalie.
[News Reporter]
Well, Clarice, this attorney is going so far as to call for a holiday boycott of NorthPark Center. He also wants to see all but one of the parking garages closed for a year.
[News Narrator]
42 year old You Lo and 41 year old Shige Wong two family men visiting from China looking for an open mall entrance from the Nordstrom Parking Garage the evening of March 11th.
[Marc Lenahan]
Meanwhile, the driver just made it up from the first floor.
[News Narrator]
Attorney Mark Lenahan, describing with an animation what he believes happened as a Dodge Charger barrels toward them. At 46 miles an hour. Behind the wheel, 29 year old Christopher Shaw, now charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Low, was thrown into a brick wall dying at the scene. Wong tossed over the edge landing on the ground below, still in need of surgeries. Lanahan says Shaw was joy riding, something he believes has gone on there for years.
[Marc Lenahan]
What they did not know is they stepped off the curb is that they are stepping into what had become a racetrack at NorthPark.
[News Narrator]
Lenahan says he believes thrill seekers speed through the parking garage and take its tight turns. Whereas he illustrates with an animation, the payoff is the top floor.
[Marc Lenahan]
It is the geography and the physics of the mall's parking lot that allows drifting. It is smooth. It is open. It is wide.
[News Narrator]
He says, Aerial pictures of the garage show the problem has existed for some time and in the lawsuit, argues, NorthPark failed to install additional cameras in garages and speed bumps or parking stops that force drivers to slow down and eliminate wide open spaces.
[Marc Lenahan]
There's no way diligent security should not have known about the racing.
[News Narrator]
in a statement, North Park says in part. While North Park remains deeply saddened by this incident, NorthPark unequivocally denies all claims of wrongdoing asserted in the lawsuit. It goes on to say it can't comment on pending litigation Lenahan says. It's time The parking garages are safe for all shoppers.
[Marc Lenahan]
If an iron man can't defend himself from an unsafe parking lot, What What's What's a parent pushing a kid, supposed to be able to do? How's a kid supposed to be able to get out of the way?
[News Reporter]
Well, the man who survived is back in China with his family. His wife was expecting a baby at the time he was hit Lenahan says the lawsuit is asking for the garages to be shut down in addition to monetary compensation because he feels if insurance ends up paying off this claim, shutting down the garages is the only way to send a strong message to mall management.