WWE Star Shad Gaspard's Widow Files Wrongful Death Suit
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The widow of WWE star Shad Gaspard has filed a wrongful death suit in connection with the wrestler's May drowning, alleging negligence and dangerous condition of a public property.
According to the suit filed Dec. 21 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Gaspard and his child, identified only as A.G., went swimming at Venice Beach on May 17 of this year. The suit alleges that Gaspard and his child were not provided any "warnings of danger or risk."
While they were swimming, the pair needed assistance from the lifeguards on duty, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the lifeguards "saw Shad Gaspard and A.G. struggling in the water but did not do anything for an unreasonable and negligent amount of time."
When the lifeguards did render aid, the lawsuit alleges that they did so "without the proper equipment for their duties to assist people in the water." The suit further alleges that the lifeguards "chose to only assist A.G. and left Shad Gaspard in the water to die."
The lawsuit alleges that the state, county and city failed to adequately staff lifeguards on the day of the drowning; failed to provide adequate equipment, training and supervision of the lifeguards on duty; and failed to warn swimmers of the danger.
"It's an unfortunate event that occurred that should have been prevented," Jon Teller, the Gaspard family attorney, said. "It's a good lesson to those public workers that are supposed to be there to save people enjoying the time on the beach that they need to make sure they have the proper protocol, procedures, staff and equipment on the beach at all times to avoid an incident like this in the future. We continue to investigated why this occurred."
A request for comment from the Los Angeles Fire Department on the lawsuit was not immediately returned.
