Charleston bar Uptown Social named in lawsuit over Outer Banks crew member death

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A downtown Charleston bar has been named in a wrongful death lawsuit nearly three years after an Outer Banks crew member was struck twice and killed in a hit-and-run collision.

Alexander “AJ” Jennings (22) was walking along Sol Legare Road near Cozet Drive around 2:30 a.m. on July 5, 2022, when he was struck by a car that fled the scene. He was then struck by a second car, which also fled the scene but was later located in downtown Charleston by officers with the Charleston Police Department.

Jennings suffered severe injuries and ultimately died at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Weeks later,  22-year-old Nicholas Ashton Virgil Price turned himself into the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said Price was the second driver who struck Jennings that night.

Price’s criminal case is still pending, according to online court records. He was given a $75,000 bond for the charge of hit and run accident with death.

Authorities have not announced any arrests regarding the first driver who hit Jennings.

Jenning’s mother, LuJean, who is the representative for his estate, is now suing downtown bar Uptown Social, claiming the establishment played a role in her son’s death.

Price was allegedly at a Fourth of July party on Folly Beach when he started drinking, the suit claims. Later in the evening, Price and others went to Uptown Social, where they drank further.

“The amount of alcohol that Nicholas Price was served by Uptown Social resulted in Nicholas Price becoming and/or remaining intoxicated,” the filing states.

LuJean, on behalf of Jennings, is suing Uptown, claiming negligence by allowing Price to become intoxicated further and then operating a motor vehicle, endangering the community.

She is asking for a jury to award for damages, saying Jennings suffered “fear, physical pain, physical suffering, and mental and emotional distress and anguish in the time before passing” due to Uptown’s negligence.

Representatives for Uptown responded to the suit with the following statement:

“We were deeply saddened to learn of the tragic events referenced in the recent lawsuit and extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family and all those affected.

While we cannot discuss details of ongoing litigation, we can confirm we have no record of serving the individual in question on the night of the incident. Our establishment maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding the service of alcohol to visibly intoxicated individuals in full compliance with South Carolina law. We trust the legal process will allow the facts to speak for themselves.

We take our responsibilities as a licensed establishment seriously and remain committed to the safety of our patrons and the broader community. We recognize the devastating consequences of impaired driving and support all efforts to prevent such tragedies. We condemn drunk driving in the strongest possible terms and will continue doing our part to uphold safety and accountability.”

When the group decided to leave Uptown that night, a friend loaned their vehicle to Price, who drove the 2018 Honda Civic to another mutual friend’s house.

On the way, Price crashed the Honda into Jennings, throwing him under the vehicle and then continuing to run over his body, according to court documents.

After the collision, Price allegedly pulled into a Harris Teeter on Sol Legare Road, looked for car damage, and then drove away without calling 911.

The documents also say that Price used Snapchat to call several people, telling them he had hit Jennings and that he was lying in the road.

Attorneys argue Price went through Snapchat not to leave records of the calls and avoid responsibility.

LuJean also filed a wrongful death suit against Price in 2023, which is still pending. Those documents can be read here.