Lawsuits

Lawsuit Filed in 2014 Lollapalooza Biting Attack

Just as this year’s Lollapalooza music festival kicked off this weekend, a man who claims he was bit by an intoxicated festival-goer at last year’s event filed a lawsuit over the incident.

Ben Lenet, then 29, filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court against 33-year-old Sergio Vicenteno — the alleged biter — and FBR Management, which helps run the fest.

Lenet claims Vicenteno was highly intoxicated before the Aug. 1, 2014, incident in Grant Park.

That day, Lenet and his friends were watching the Arctic Monkeys perform when Vicenteno approached them from the back, put one of them in a chokehold and threw him on the ground, according to Lenet and prosecutors at the time.

Vicenteno then bit Lenet’s middle forearm “through the skin” as he tried helping his friend, prosecutors and the lawsuit claim. He then allegedly went back and bit Lenet’s friend in the chin.

Authorities charged Vicenteno later that month with aggravated battery and held him in lieu of a $60,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty in September 2014, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 4, according to court records.

Lenet’s lawsuit claims Vicenteno became too drunk off of the beverages served by FBR Management employees, leading to the violent attack.

FBR did not immediately return a call for comment.

The suit has also named Lollapalooza Festival Services, LLC, C3 Presents, LLC, the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District as respondents in discovery. That means Lenet is asking them to release any information in the incident, specifically to help determine who should be a defendant.

The two-count suit is asking for more than $100,000 in damages.

Copyright CHIST - SunTimes
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