Mankato bar named in drinking death suit denies allegations

(AP) - The owners of a Mankato bar are denying allegations set forth in a lawsuit filed by the family of a 21-year-old woman who died after a night of heavy drinking on her birthday.

Amanda Jax had partied at Sidelines Bar & Grill the night of Oct. 29, 2007, before friends took her to their apartment where she later died.

The lawsuit, which also names several of Jax's friends who were there, claims that the bar is partially responsible for Jax's death because she was served after she was obviously intoxicated.

Jax died of alcohol poisoning and had a blood alcohol concentration of nearly 0.46 percent.

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In court documents filed by attorney Steven Tomshe, who is representing bar owner Blattner Enterprises, the bar said it is not liable through the state's dram shop laws and that alcohol was not illegally provided to Jax.

The filing also argued that if the bar is found liable, then the people who were with Jax that night are also liable.

Jenny Haag, Jax's mother, has said her daughter did not buy any drinks the night of her birthday, a fact supported by police records and court documents.

Haag said her daughter would still be alive if her friends had stopped buying her drinks or if they had sought medical help.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)