Lawsuit filed over alleged bar attack

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man who was attacked by at least four men following an earlier verbal altercation at a Clark Fork bar in 2017 is seeking damages for personal injury and lost wages.

Counsel for Cameron Jeffres filed the complaint for damages against Adam Finney, Rex Finney, Jacob Steen and Joshua Travers in 1st District Court on April 19, records show. It alleges that the defendants acted in concert to commit assault and battery, in addition to negligence.

Jeffres suffered a broken collarbone during the incident outside the Cabinet Mountain Bar & Grill on April 22, 2017, according to documents filed in criminal cases against Adam Finney and his father Rex. The father and son were accused of either directly breaking Jeffres’ collarbone or aiding and abetting others in the crime.

Both men were charged with aggravated battery, but the elder Finney pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disturbing the peace and the younger Finney entered Alford pleas to battery and disturbing the peace. Both were ordered to perform community service.

Neither Steen nor Travers were prosecuted in connection with the incident.

The civil suit alleges that Rex Finney drove the three other defendants to the bar. Documents in the criminal case stated that Rex Finney and Jeffres had words with one another earlier in the evening, which prompted the four men to return to the bar to confront Jeffres.

“The defendants, at the direction of and with the assistance of defendant Rex Finney, went in search of plaintiff in order to cause personal injury to plaintiff,” Jeffres’ counsel, Coeur d’Alene attorney Melanie Baille, said in the civil complaint. Jeffres was pushed, kicked and struck with blows during the incident.

Despite receiving medical attention, Baille said her client remains injured, in pain and has limited movement in his affected shoulder, the suit said.

The filing seeks damages for past, present and future lost wages, in addition to anxiety and disfigurement.

The defendants have 21 days to answer to the claims raised in the litigation.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.