The Irish Cottage, a bar in Franklin, has filed a lawsuit against the city over a 30-day license suspension tied to a deadly drunk-driving crash — and a judge granted the bar a temporary injunction the day before the suspension was set to take effect.
The Franklin Common Council approved the 30-day suspension in June, with a start date of Sept. 1. The suspension stems from a November 2024 crash in which Jim Riegling was killed by a drunk driver.
According to a criminal complaint, the driver had been served alcohol at the Irish Cottage before the crash. That driver, Leonel Molina Rios, was convicted earlier this year and sentenced to 12 years in prison with another six years of extended supervision.
The Irish Cottage is now challenging the city's licensing decision in Milwaukee County Court, and the temporary restraining order means the bar can remain open while that legal action plays out.
For Debra Riegling, Jim's wife, the lawsuit has reopened a painful chapter.
"I was shocked to be honest with you. I had no idea that they could do this in the10th hour," Debra Riegling said. "I feel that the Irish Cottage should be ashamed of themselves. They were given a slight slap on the hand, and they can't even follow through with that."
Despite the setback, Riegling said she is not giving up.
"I've tried to move forward, not on but forward. You know, and I'm right back where I started, and but I'm not going to give up," Riegling said.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Franklin widow shares husband's memory as city suspends bar's license
Michael Maistelman, the attorney representing the Irish Cottage, said the lawsuit is not an attempt to minimize what happened.
"This case obviously started from a really a terrible tragedy, and nothing in this lawsuit tries to diminish any of that," Maistelman said.
Maistelman said the bar's legal challenge centers on how the city handled the suspension process, arguing the city did not follow proper procedures.
"This is about due process," Maistelman said. "It's our belief that they didn't follow the laws, and that they handled this in such a way that violated our client's due process," Maistelman said.
When asked directly what they allege the city did wrong, Maistelman said the city pressured the bar's owner.
"They basically threatened her that they were going to take her license away and that she was going to be sued personally if she didn't agree to a voluntary suspension," Maistelman said.
The Franklin city attorney and mayor declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
Riegling said she plans to keep pushing for the bar to be held accountable.
"We're going to fight on, and I don't know how, and I don't know the procedures, but I have, I have a lot of people in my corner," Riegling said.
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