Tragic situation.
A lawsuit has been filed against three downtown Nashville bars, as well as a drunk driver who killed a father and son visiting Tennessee for a softball tournament.
The horrific accident happened nearly a year ago, on March 27, 2025 while William Parrott and his son, Brad Parrott, were in Nashville to watch Brad’s daughter compete in the tournament. While headed back to their hotel, the father and son were on the interstate near downtown Nashville as traffic was slowing down for a construction zone when Daniel Caravaca Bonilla hit the rear of their Chevy Silverado.
According to the complaint, there was no indication that Caravaca Bonilla tried to slow down, and the crash caused a chain reaction that ultimately involved five vehicles, and both Brad and William Parrott were pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the accident, Caravaca Bonilla was charged with 13 separate crimes, including two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of DUI, six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, possession of a handgun while under the influence, and more. As of today, the charges are still pending with his next court date scheduled for April 9. He’s currently out of jail on a $150,000 bond.
The lawsuit, filed by representatives of the father and son, names not only the driver but also accuses Barstool Nashville, Jason Aldean’s and Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, of overserving Caravaca Bonilla prior to the crash.
According to the complaint, which has been reviewed by Whiskey Riff, video surveillance shows “multiple alcohol purchases and consumption events” in the hours leading up to the deadly crash while Caravaca Bonilla was visibly intoxicated. The lawsuit claims that the drunk driver was stumbling and swaying, and was also kicked out of Jason Aldean’s bar for entering an employee-only area. But he allegedly found his way back into the bar before finally leaving Broadway just half an hour before the fatal crash.
The lawsuit accuses the bars of reckless conduct in serving Caravaca Bonilla, and asks the court to order punitive damages against the three establishments:
“The conduct of the Bars demonstrates recklessness in the Bar’s hiring, retention, supervision, and training practices, and that recklessness was a direct and proximate cause of the wrongful deaths of Bradley and William Parrott and Plaintiffs’ damages.”
As of right now, none of the defendants have filed a response to the complaint or publicly commented on the lawsuit.
Tennessee, like other states, has “dram shop” laws that require the responsible service of alcohol and can be used to hold bars liable for serving those under 21 or who are already visibly intoxicated.
But there’s a high burden of proof, which requires plaintiffs to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the bar sold alcohol to somebody who was visibly intoxicated, and that the injury or death was caused by the alcohol sold by the bar.
The most likely outcome here is a settlement between the bars and the family, but regardless it’s a tragic situation and a reminder of just how important it is for bars to be careful about who they’re serving.
