Couple sues club, brother-in-law
A North Strabane Township couple who claim they were attacked at a South Strabane Township golf club last month allege club staff continued serving their brother-in-law alcohol even though he appeared intoxicated as he instigated multiple verbal and physical confrontations.
John and Debra Abajace allege in a lawsuit filed Monday in Washington County Court that The Golf Club of Washington, 599 Country Club Road, was “careless and negligent” in its handling of Timothy Mousetis, 60, of East Washington, after he allegedly began making unprovoked attacks against the couple in the club dining room Dec. 16.
Mousetis, a former physical education teacher in Canon-McMillan School District, faces one count each of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct and two counts each of simple assault, harassment and driving under the influence of alcohol in a criminal case that also stems from the alleged events of that night.
According to the civil suit – which names Mousetis as a defendant along with the club – the Abajaces were having dinner with friends and their grandchildren before Mousetis approached Debra Abajace, “poking his finger at her, hitting her in the shoulder and using foul and threatening language.”
Attorney Clark Mitchell, who represents the Abajaces, wrote, instead of being ejected from the club, Mousetis was escorted to the bar by another patron. Before he left the dining room, however, the suit claims he again turned his attention to Debra Abajace, “verbally assaulting (her) with foul and threatening language.”
Club general manager Scott Burkhart and an employee who answered the phone at the office Tuesday declined to comment on the litigation.
Thomas Will, Mousetis’ attorney in the criminal case, couldn’t be reached Tuesday.
“After the second altercation, (the Abajaces) were somewhat fearful and intimidated by the defendant. … However, they were assured by the club, (it) had removed (Mousetis) from the dining room and premises,” the suit claims.
Instead, the suit alleges, Mousetis was allowed to continue drinking before he pushed past owner Jim Cameron with a drink in his hand and went back into the dining room about 15 minutes later. At that point, he allegedly struck John Abajace with a drinking glass before punching, kneeing, head-butting, grabbing and dragging him across the room, “continuing to strike him with relentless blows to the head.”
He also grabbed Debra Abajace by her hair, “thrusting her head into the wall multiple times with great and brutal force,” according to the lawsuit.
The Abajaces are seeking more than $50,000 in damages, citing a litany of injuries and loss of consortium.
Canon-McMillan Superintendent Michael Daniels said Dec. 21 – the day after South Strabane police arrested Mousetis on the criminal charges – Mousetis was on paid leave. However, Daniels said Tuesday that Mousetis, a former wrestling coach at Canon-McMillan and Chartiers-Houston, is no longer an employee of the district.
Mousetis is free on $50,000 unsecured bond set by District Judge Jay Weller. A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Weller Jan. 31.