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• Lawsuit filed by family of man who died after bar incident
• Pierce County Scoreboard
• 93rd Assembly District candidates to be featured on live call-in political forum
• Pierce County Scoreboard

By Judy Wiff, Regional Editor

The mother and brother of a man who died after being escorted out of a River Falls bar by bouncers have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the business.

Joseph R. Roscoe, 43, River Falls, died Feb. 27, 2007 -- 10 days after being found unconscious in the alley behind The Library, 106 N. Main St.

The civil suit was filed in Pierce County last week by Janice Roscoe, Two Harbors, Minn., and Mark Woodard, Omaha, Neb., against bartender/manager Edward Roughton, 105 Elm St., River Falls, and The Library bar.

According to the complaint, on Feb. 17, 2007, Roscoe was a customer at The Library and "became obviously intoxicated."

According to the complaint, bouncers attempted to escort him out. The suit says they were negligent in causing or allowing Roscoe "to trip, fall or stumble multiple times, hitting his head on the floor and pavement and sustaining other serious injuries causing his death."

According to reports taken by police shortly after the incident, bouncers said Roscoe was drunk, caused a disturbance and was kicked out of the bar.

Roscoe was comatose after the incident and suffered a blood clot in his brain and a stroke after being hospitalized. He died Feb. 27 at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Police Chief Roger Leque said no criminal charges were filed in connection with the injury and death.

"We did an extensive and thorough investigation and referred (the results) to the Pierce County district attorney for review, but no charges were filed," Leque said Monday.

According to the civil lawsuit, Roscoe's medical expenses exceeded $200,000 and he suffered pain and emotional distress before he died.

The suit also says his family incurred costs for medical expenses for his last illness and funeral costs in excess of $50,000.

The suit alleges bar managers were negligent in hiring, training, supervising and keeping staff and negligent in maintaining the premises.

According to city records, The Library is owned by S&T River Falls LLC. S&T's president and agent is Stephanie Roughton.

Roscoe came to River Falls the summer before his death for alcohol treatment at Kinnic Falls Halfway House. He also did odd jobs in construction around town.

Contact Judy Wiff at regional@rivertowns.net or 715.426.1049.

Thursday, October 23

Football

Spring Valley 35, Colfax 7; Elmwood 28, Pepin 21; Plum City 41, Prairie Farm 6; Prescott 24, Durand 17; Osceola 33, Ellsworth 19

The two candidates for the 93rd Assembly District will be featured Monday on a live call-in political forum at 5 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Radio's The West Side.

The program is hosted by Mary Jo Wagner and will feature Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire, and Republican challenger Darcy Fields, also of Eau Claire.

The 93rd Assembly District includes parts of Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce and Pepin counties.

The West Side is broadcast on FM 88.7 WRFW-River Falls and FM 88.3 WHWC-Menomonie/Eau Claire.

Listeners may call in questions and comments at 800.228.5615 during the program.

Friday, October 24

Cross Country

Division 2 Unity Sectional

Prescott boys place ninth and girls 12th. Jessop Keene wins boys individual title with time of 16:46. It will be his second straight trip to state.

Volleyball

WIAA Regional Semifinals

Divison 3

Prescott 3, Elk Mound 0 (Prescott plays Eau Claire Regis in finals Saturday at Clear Lake)

Division 4

Spring Valley 3, Plum City 0 (Spring Valley plays Cochrane-Fountain City in finals Saturday at Elmwood)