County Sued Over Man Struck Leaving Montage

The family of a man who was struck by a vehicle and killed while walking from a concert at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain near Scranton, Pa., has filed a lawsuit against the county and other defendants. 

Pavilion at Montage Mountain show at the venue Aug. 25, 2013. According to details of the suit, obtained by the Scranton Times Tribune, his family alleges sheriff’s deputies were negligent in allowing him to leave the venue unescorted after a blood alcohol test showed the man had a level of 0.17 at the time of his death – more than twice the legal limit. The family also claims the county failed to properly train the deputies on how to handle intoxicated patrons and failed to ensure the road was safe for pedestrians.

Sanders had parked his car at PNC Field and taken a bus to the concert. Security officers ordered him to leave the venue after they saw him fall while exiting a restroom. Since there were no buses running at the time, he began walking. Meanwhile, deputy sheriffs at the concert instructed Ivy Giordano, who was also intoxicated, to leave the concert and drive to a booking center miles away to retrieve her boyfriend that was arrested during the show, the suit says.

Giordano’s vehicle struck Sanders and she was later charged with reckless endangerment and driving under the influence of alcohol. Giordano and the deputies have been named as defendants along with the county. The suit is seeking damages from the county.