Domino's is being sued by the widow of a Texas employee who died a year after being robbed and beaten with a baseball bat by teens who lured the deliveryman to a vacant house.
The lawsuit alleges the company was negligent in failing to follow safety procedures and seeks "all damages" available under state law to Fred Rein's widow, Jackie, plus exemplary and punitive damages. The suit filed Monday in Tarrant County names as defendants the local franchise and national corporation, including Mark of Excellence Pizza Co., Domino's Pizza and Domino's Pizza Franchising, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
"The purpose of this lawsuit is to ensure that nothing this tragic ever happens to anybody else," said attorney Geno Borchardt, who represents Jackie Rein.
Borchardt said the teens used a prepaid cell phone to place a phony order, and that Domino's had never before delivered pizza to the vacant Fort Worth house. When Rein arrived with the pizzas that night in 2009, he was attacked and suffered brain damage. His death 14 months later was ruled a homicide.
Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre said the company does not comment on lawsuits but is saddened by the loss and sorry for Rein's family.
The three teens were charged as juveniles, but the cases went to court before Rein died.