In a lawsuit that highlights the responsibilities of local governments and event organizers, a resident has filed a complaint against the City of Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, and the Tampa Bay Blues Foundation. The plaintiff, Winnie Mallory, submitted her complaint to the Circuit Court in Pinellas County on November 15, 2024. She alleges negligence on the part of these entities following an accident at a local festival.
The incident in question occurred on April 14, 2023, when Winnie Mallory attended the Tampa Bay Blues Fest in Downtown Saint Petersburg. As she walked along Northshore Drive between 8th and 9th Avenues, she tripped over a loose brick on the sidewalk. This fall resulted in a shattered right hip and other serious injuries. Mallory claims that all three defendants—City of Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, and Tampa Bay Blues Foundation—failed to maintain safe conditions for pedestrians at this public event.
Mallory's legal action is based on several allegations of negligence. She asserts that both the City of Saint Petersburg and Pinellas County had a duty to ensure sidewalks were safe for public use but failed to repair known hazards like uneven bricks. The complaint states: "Defendant breached its duty of care by failing to repair a section of sidewalk that it knew was uneven." Similarly, she accuses the Tampa Bay Blues Foundation of neglecting its responsibility as event organizers to manage premises safely and warn attendees about potential dangers.
The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $50,000 from each defendant for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life due to her injuries. Mallory's attorney argues that these damages are justified given her permanent physical impairments and ongoing mental distress resulting from the incident.
Representing Winnie Mallory is Jonathan I. Rotstein from Rotstein, Shiffman & Broderick LLP. The case has been assigned Case Number 24-005042-CI in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pinellas County. No judge has been specifically named yet in available documents.