The parents of a Florida bartender who worked at Tiger Woods’ restaurant before dying in a drunk-driving incident claim that the golfer ignored their son’s alcoholism.
Nicholas Immesberger, 24, died in a car crash on December 10, 2018 after he spent hours drinking at The Woods restaurant in Jupiter following his shift, according to a new lawsuit.
Spencer Kuvin, the family’s lawyer, alleges that both Woods and his girlfriend Erica Herman had been aware of Immersberger’s struggles with alcohol but continued to let him drink at the restaurant.
‘They fueled his addiction with more alcohol instead of help,’ Kuvin said during a press conference on Tuesday, according to the New York Daily News.
Tiger Woods has spoken out for the first time since he was sued over the drunk-driving death of a bartender who worked at his Florida restaurant
Nicholas Immesberger, 24, died in a car crash on December 10, 2018 after he spent hours drinking at The Woods restaurant in Jupiter following his shift, according to the lawsuit
While Woods was not at the restaurant the night that Immesberger died, Kuvin said he and Herman had been at the bar with Immesberger while he was drinking just a few nights before the crash.
Woods was speaking at his PGA Championship press conference on Tuesday when one reporter asked him about Immesberger’s death.
‘We’re all very sad that Nick passed away,’ Woods told reporters. ‘It was a terrible, terrible night, a terrible ending. We feel bad for him and his entire family. It’s very sad.’
The lawsuit claims that staff at The Woods Staff knew Immesberger had been attending Alcohol Anonymous meetings but still continued to serve him alcohol while he was working, as well as after his shifts while he sat at the bar.
‘Just like [Woods] ignored his own problems for years, he and his girlfriend chose to ignore this problem that their own employee had,’ Kuvin said.
While Woods was not at the restaurant the night that Immesberger died, the bartender’s family claims both he and his girlfriend Erica Herman (pictured together) knew him personally and were aware he had a drinking problem
Staff at the restaurant were aware that Immesberger had been attending AA meetings but still continued to serve him alcohol while he was working, the lawsuit claims
Woods was arrested for a DUI in 2017 after he was found sleeping in his car with the engine running around 3am.
The legendary golfer later revealed he had been mixing prescription drugs to treat his bad back and insomnia. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and entered a diversion program.
A toxicology report later revealed Woods had Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien and THC in his system. The golfer was previously treated for a sex addiction.
Immesberger was reportedly drinking at the restaurant for three hours after finishing his shift that day, and then drove himself home in his 1999 Chevrolet Corvette.
Immesberger was reportedly drinking at the restaurant (pictured) for three hours after finishing his shift on the night of his death, and was then allowed to drive himself home
He lost control of the vehicle around 6pm, swerving across three lanes before his car flew through the air and crashed into the grass along Federal Highway in Port Salerno, according to the Palm Beach Post.
At the time of his death Immesberger had a blood alcohol level of 0.256, which is more than three times the legal limit of below 0.08 in Florida.
Kuvin said there had been surveillance footage of Immesberger drinking extensively on the night of the crash, but claims that the restaurant destroyed it.
The complaint filed in Palm Beach County by Immesberger’s parents names Woods, Herman, who managed the establishment, and the restaurant itself as defendants.
It states that Woods ‘was directly responsible for ensuring that his employees and management were not over serving its employees/customers’.
At the time of his death Immesberger had a blood alcohol level of .256, which is more than three times the legal limit of below .08 in Florida
The complaint filed in Palm Beach County by Immesberger’s parents names Woods, Herman, who managed the establishment, and the restaurant itself as defendants. Pictured are Immesberger’s stepfather John Belowsky Sr and mother Katie Belowsky
Immesberger was recruited to work at the restaurant by Herman. His family alleges that Woods and Herman were aware or ‘reasonably should have known’ of their bartender’s tendency to over-consume alcohol as a ‘habitual drunkard’.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by TMZ Sports, seeks more than $15,000 in medical and funeral expenses, as well as other ‘appropriate damage’.
A copy of a citation obtained by DailyMail.com shows Immesberger had been cited for speeding and failure to produce a drivers license on December 4, 2018, just six days before he died.
Kuvin alleged that Immesberger had been over-served at the restaurant and crashed his car then as well.
Woods is currently preparing to compete again at the PGA Championship this week at Bethpage Black in New York.
It is his fourth PGA Tour appearance following his historic comeback win at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia in April.
Woods is currently preparing to compete in the PGA Championship this week at Bethpage Black, in his four PGA Tour appearance following his historic comeback win at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia in April (pictured)