Last week, the Yarborough Applegate team was honored to once again participate in Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) South Carolina’s Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner and Training Symposium, and present this year’s Dram Shop Justice Award to a deserving member of law enforcement.
2024 DRAM SHOP JUSTICE AWARD
This year’s 2024 Dram Shop Justice Award was presented to Lance Corporal Shawn Knotts of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Yarborough Applegate attorney David Lail, a longtime advocate and current board member of MADD South Carolina, presented the third annual award. It in large part recognized Lance Corporal Knotts for diligent efforts on a recent drunk driving investigation that will protect countless innocent lives from future harm.
“Lance Corporal Knotts displayed his relentless commitment to victims of drunk driving by identifying a bar in Berkeley County that broke the law by continuing to serve a guest that was already extremely intoxicated,” Lail says. “Because of his diligence, the bar was held fully responsible for its role in putting a drunk driver on I-26 with deadly consequences.”
Lail established the Dram Shop Justice Award in 2022 to recognize the role law enforcement plays in combating drunk driving and protecting the general public from its harms—a pursuit paramount to both MADD and the team at Yarborough Applegate.
MADD LAW ENFORCEMENT RECOGNITION DINNER
The award was part of this year’s Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner, which commemorates law enforcement individuals and agencies for excellence in areas of DUI/BUI enforcement, underage drinking prevention, and other contributions to MADD’s mission. With drunk driving victim-survivors from around the state in attendance, the event also included a tribute to the state’s officers whose lives have been lost or who have been injured by impaired driving and an impaired driving fallen officers memorial table.A law enforcement training regarding impaired driving cases was held ahead of the recognition dinner.
A COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING
Yarborough Applegate served as the Captain Sponsor of this year’s MADD event, continuing its longstanding support of the nonprofit’s mission to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.
Alcohol-impaired driving remains the number-one cause of motor vehicle fatalities in our home state of South Carolina, and our team recognizes that combatting this epidemic calls for community partners to stand together. As a part of this coalition, Yarborough Applegate’s drunk driving accident and dram shop attorneys are dedicated to securing justice for victims of drunk driving. Read more about dram shop litigation, the legal avenue through which we hold alcohol retailers responsible for unsafe alcohol service. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a drunk driver, contact us today to discuss how we can help with your case.
Last weekend, Yarborough Applegate rallied in support of MADD South Carolina at the annual Lowcountry Walk Like MADD fundraiser that raises awareness and funds to eliminate drunk and drugged driving.
In our pursuit of civil justice for victims of drunk driving, our firm works in partnership with local law enforcement to hold all wrongdoers accountable.
Partner David Lail established the first-ever Dram Shop Justice Award to recognize the role law enforcement plays in addressing a root cause of drunk driving— unsafe alcohol providers.
On Saturday, April 22nd, the South Carolina Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving will hold its annual event, Walk Like MADD, in Columbia, South Carolina. This spring, thousands of people in over 90 cities across the nation will walk in a variety of events. Walk Like MADD is the largest community-based event held by MADD […]
On Saturday, April 22nd, the South Carolina Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving will hold its annual event, Walk Like MADD, in Columbia, South Carolina. This spring, thousands of people in over 90 cities across the nation will walk in a variety of events. Walk Like MADD is the largest community-based event held by MADD […]
After a day of drinking on Shem Creek and in downtown Charleston, our client’s intoxicated girlfriend crashed head-on into another vehicle as he slept in the back seat of the car.