MIAMI -- A civil lawsuit has been filed by attorneys with The Cochran Firm on behalf of the family of Guillermo M. Alvarez Jr., seeks punitive damages against BP Products North America and Jose Cabrera, the dealer owner of The Falls Amoco in Miami. The attorneys claim that the suit exposes that an alarming number of convenience store clerks are not receiving proper training and monitoring from a major oil company regarding procedures to prevent alcohol sales to minors.
"It's a shame that a big-name oil company is turning a blind eye to this nationwide epidemic by putting profits over the [image-nocss] safety of our children and families," said Scott W. Leeds with The Cochran Firm. "Convenience stores are one of the leading sources of alcohol and tobacco sales to minors in the nation. How many more families need to lose their children in horrific accidents before these multinational corporations take their responsibility seriously."
In August 2005, 17-year-old Alvarez's friend Anthony Diaz bought a 12-pack of beer at a BP station in Miami that allegedly had a communitywide reputation among minors as a place to buy alcohol. Diaz, who also was 17-years-old at the time, said the BP clerk did not ask to see his driver's license. Later that night, Diaz lost control of the car that crashed into a gate and two trees. Both teens were ejected and Alvarez was killed.
The suit said that BP set up four tiers of gas stations: company owned/company operated (COCO); company owned/dealer operated (CODO); dealer owned/franchised operated (DOFO); and dealer owned/dealer operated (DODO). "Although these retail stores are designed to look identical, each operates under completely different sets of procedures for underage alcohol sales," said Leeds.
"At the COCO stations, BP provides comprehensive and ongoing training, guidelines, procedures and manuals to the managers as to how they should train their employees. There are refresher courses and mystery shopping programs," said Leeds. "However, at the CODO store like The Falls Amoco, they did absolutely nothing. BP has shown gross negligence by failing to monitor, discipline or discharge employees who broke the law and was indifferent to the fact that recurring and persistent sales of alcohol to minors were occurring at this location."
BP spokesperson Scott Dean told CSP Daily News: "Officially, we don't comment on pending litigation."
The Cochran Firm was founded by Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.
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