September 28, 2007

TYKE KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER

BRIDGEPORT — The family of a 20-month-old girl, crushed under the wheels of a car driven by a Monroe man who allegedly was drunk last July 4, filed suit today against the driver and the Stratford bar where he was drinking before the crash.
The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court, seeks unspecified damages against Clayton Luf and Ray's Grill.

Luf, 41, of Glenwood Drive in Monroe, is awaiting trial for second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless driving for the crash that took the life of Kay'Anah "Kay Kay" Brayboy on Connecticut Avenue here.

"We view this as another example of white people from the suburbs coming into the city an wreaking havoc which is exactly what Clayton Luf did her," said the family's lawyer, Michael Stratton.

"We feel very strongly that Ray's Grill, which served Mr. Luf the alcoholic beverages must have known he was highly intoxicated given the alcohol levels in his blood, yet they continued to serve him and poor Kay Kay Brayboy paid the ultimate price," her said.

Anthony Costanzo Jr., the owner of Ray's Grill, declined to comment on the lawsuit. Luf, who owns a body shop on Orange Street, is accused of running over the girl outside the Connecticut Food Mart at Connecticut Avenue and Hollister Street. The tyke died from her injuries six days later.

Police said Luf had been drinking July 4 at Ray's Grill on Barnum Avenue in Stratford, and left about 5 p.m. He was speeding down Connecticut Avenue in his Mercedes convertible when he lost control of the car, crashed through a metal fence at the store and onto the sidewalk, running over the girl who was standing outside the store with a male relative.

Firefighters had to lift Luf's car off the little girl's head.

Police said Luf was slurring his words at the scene and was later found to have a blood-alcohol level of 0.25, more than three times the legal limit.