BESSEMER CITY, N.C. — A Wisconsin-based insurance company is suing Roger Self for more than $165,000 in damages after he intentionally drove his car into the Surf & Turf Lodge, killing his daughter and daughter-in-law.
General Casualty Company of Wisconsin accused Self of negligence, and it's seeking to recoup the same amount of money it paid to the Bessemer City restaurant for repairs and lost business revenue.
In a Facebook post, the Surf and Turf Lodge described the insurance company as "seeking retribution," and it emphasized, "the business will not benefit from any judgments that are made as a result of this lawsuit."
The Self family came to the restaurant on May 20, 2018, after attending Sunday services at Venture Church in Dallas.
At the time, Self said he was dealing with mental health issues. In court, he admitted to leaving his family at the table, getting into his Jeep, and intentionally driving into the restaurant.
In addition to killing his daughter and daughter-in-law, Self injured several other family members, including his wife and his son, a Gaston County Police Department school resource officer.
In the complaint, General Casualty Company of Wisconsin asserted Self "...had a duty to act reasonably as an operator of a motor vehicle," but the company said, "As a result of Mr. Self's negligent conduct, General Casualty has suffered property damages, business interruption damages, and other pecuniary losses."
The company said the $165,425.39 losses it paid out included $62,419.73 for building repairs, $2,147.08 for food inventory loss, and $34,343.00 in business interruption loss.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to the Self family for a comment, but the family didn't respond back.
Contact Brandon Golder at bgoldner@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.