Methadone clinic sued over crash that killed four

A September 10, 2016 article by The State Newspaper reports on a federal lawsuit against a West Columbia clinic that dispensed methadone to a patient whose vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle, killing 16-year old Stephen Cooper Gunnells, Jr. and his grandparents, Harry and Barbara Gunnells.

The suit, brought by Cooper’s mother on behalf of her son’s estate, alleges Colonial Management Group, LP’s clinic negligently dispensed the drug to a known drug addict, Robert Moore, Jr., even though weekly drug tests revealed that Mr. Moore was taking other prescription and illicit drugs. Mr. Moore was also killed in the collision.

According to Moore’s attorney Jake Moore, Mr. Moore became addicted to prescription drugs after he broke his legs and back in a car crash and was attempting to treat his addiction through methadone treatment.

Florida-based Colonial Management Group operates 64 clinics including the Columbia Metro Treatment Center in West Columbia. That facility generates an estimated $1.2 million annually.

Cooper’s mother, Kathy Santandreu, is represented by Dick Harpootlian and Chris Kenney of Richard A. Harpootlian, P.A. and Bill Nettles of Bill Nettles, Attorney at Law.

To read The State’s article, click here.

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