ARTESIA, N.M. (KRQE) – Blake Bollema is accused of almost killing six members of one family in a drunk driving crash last year in Artesia. He will face trial on those charges next month.
The family has also filed a lawsuit against him and two Artesia businesses, saying the crash was preventable.
“He doesn’t remember what happened. They’d been drinking, told him not to drive,” Bollema’s passenger told State Police after the crash.
It was July 1, 2016, when a pick-up truck ran a stop sign, slamming into an SUV injuring a family of six.
That family has now filed a suit against Blake Bollema, his two friends, and two businesses for serving what they claim were obviously drunk people.
“Tell him he needs to come over and talk with us, alright? Or else he’s pretty much going to have the whole State Police on him,” officers told the passenger.
In the lawsuit, Gabriel Granado states Bollema and his friends were drinking at the Wellhead Restaurant and Brew Pub in Artesia.
They suit claims Bollema was over served at Wellhead, left after closing, and drove to a Circle K to buy more beer.
When the officer asked Bollema if he had been drinking, Bollema replied, “No sir.”
The lawsuit states Circle K should have not let Bollema purchase the beer because he was obviously intoxicated.
After the crash, State Police say Bollema left the scene, despite pleas for help from the Granado family. They had two small kids seriously hurt, one of whom was unconscious.
An hour after the crash, State Police say the suspect came back to the scene. Police asked Bollema if he was the driver of the pick-up and Bollema replied, “Yeah. My buddy was hurt, so I took care of him.”
The lawsuit is asking for damages from Bollema and his friends in the vehicle for causing the accident, as well as from Wellhead Restaurant and Circle K for over serving and selling to an intoxicated person.
Both Wellhead and Circle K have motions to dismiss the case. The lawsuit claims four hours after the crash Bollema still had a blood alcohol level of .08.
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