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To: Jacques Chitte who wrote (9832)	5/19/1999 7:21:00 PM
From: Daniel Miller	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 62549

DJ Drunk-Driving Lawsuit Will Drop Reference To Irish ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)--The lawsuit claimed Dollar Rent-A-Car, a unit of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. (DTG), should have known a driver in a fatal accident was prone to drink because he was from Ireland. But after getting deluged with irate calls, the attorney who filed it said Wednesday it was all a mistake and he actually considers himself an advocate for the Irish. "I want to express my deepest regret to the Irish who have been offended," John Stemberger said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "I recognize the mistake. I'm deleting references to that." The lawsuit had been filed in March on behalf of the family of Carmel Elizabeth Cunningham, of Ireland. Her boyfriend, Sean McGrath, 33, is charged with drunk-driving manslaughter and other charges related to the accident in the Plymouth Neon he had rented from Dollar. Dollar "either knew or should have known about the unique cultural and ethnic customs existing in Ireland which involve the regular consumption of alcohol at 'Pubs' as a major component to Irish social life," according to the original lawsuit filed in Orange County Circuit Court. Moreover, Dollar "either knew or should have known that Sean McGrath would have a high propensity to drink alcohol," the suit said. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. He was not named in the lawsuit. News of the suit drew the ire of the Irish-American community. "That enrages me," said Kathleen Reineke, past president of the local Irish American Club. "That would be like saying all blacks steal. It falls under the same category." Stemberger said he planned to refile the lawsuit with emphasis on the different driving conditions in Ireland, such as driving on the left side of the road instead of the right. He claimed he planned to amend the lawsuit even before the barrage of complaints. He said Dollar doesn't do nearly enough to teach drivers from the United Kingdom about the road rules in the U.S., including the blood-alcohol limits, open-container laws and the drinking age. That sets up the Irish for a dangerous visit, he said. "I'm going after Dollar because they need to do something about it," Stemberger said. "I want Irish-Americans to know because of Dollar's negligence, Ireland has lost one of its daughters," he said. "I view myself as an advocate trying to protect the Irish, in this case." Peyton Hodges, an attorney for Dollar, said he did not know Stemberger's motivation for rewording the lawsuit. "My guess is the sentiment was so overwhelming and so negative the guy finally woke up," he said. (END) DOW JONES NEWS 05-19-99 07:18 PM