PRINCETON – A Mercer County woman says she was brutally attacked by an intoxicated woman outside of Starbucks.
Ashley Jones filed her complaint June 22 in Mercer Circuit Court against Starbucks and Kimberly Michelle Lancaster.
Ruggier
“We filed this complaint because no company – regardless of its size, global reach, or public image – is above the law,” attorney Duane J. Ruggier II told The West Virginia Record. “Ashley Jones is entitled to be safe when she is ordering from Starbucks and deserves to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.
“Starbucks could have easily prevented Ashley from being attacked by a known dangerous individual on their property but shockingly failed to do so. We look forward to presenting our facts in the appropriate forum and ensuring that Starbucks is held accountable.”
According to the complaint, Jones went to the Starbucks location in Princeton on June 28, 2024. She says Lancaster also entered the store “in a highly and visibly intoxicated, volatile and disruptive state.” Lancaster is the mother of Kristina Flowers, who was working at the Starbucks location that day.
“Due to the familial relationship, prior interactions and immediate observations on the premises, the on-duty employee employee, Kristina Flowers, had actual, subjective knowledge of defendant Lancaster’s severe intoxication, volatile propensity for aggression and the immediate physical hazard she posed to patrons inside and outside the store,” the complaint states. “Recognizing the severe disruption and potential danger … Flowers took affirmative steps to address the hazard by physically removing and ejecting defendant Lancaster from the interior of the building.”
But Jones says Starbucks and Flowers chose not to notify law enforcement and instead left Lancaster “completely unmonitored and unchecked” just outside the store.
“Moments later, as plaintiff … was lawfully navigating the exterior of the premises, she was directly intercepted by the volatile and intoxicated defendant Lancaster,” the complaint states. “Jones sustained severe and permanent physical injuries, incurred substantial medical expense and suffered profound emotional trauma.”
Jones accuses Starbucks of negligence, premises liability, vicarious liability and negligent undertaking. She accuses Lancaster of assault and battery and intentional tort.
She seeks compensatory damages for past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life as well as pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Jones is being represented by Ruggier of Stephen New & Associates in Beckley. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Mark Wills.
Mercer Circuit Court case number 26-C-133
