Brew Vino LLC, the owner of a York County golf course, failed the respond to a federal discrimination lawsuit earlier this week, resulting in a default judgement.
Brew Vino LLC, the owner of the Grandview Golf Course in York County, recently failed to respond to a federal sexual and racial discrimination suit. The suit itself was filed by Myneca Ojo and Karen Crosby. Due to the owner’s failure to respond, a default judgment was filed against the firm in U.S. Middle District Court in Harrisburg. Now that a default judgment has been passed, a determination of monetary damages will be made. When Ojo and Crosby of York first filed their lawsuit back in April, they sought unspecified financial damages.
The lawsuit itself was filed two years ago, shortly after “police were called on them as they played on the course on April 21, 2018.” According to the women, “Steve Chronister, a former York County commissioner and a course official, approached them on the second hole and told them they were golfing too slowly.” The suit claimed that “Chronister told the women, who denied tying up play, that he would refund their fees for their club memberships and carts.” When the women refused to leave, Chronister called the police. However, he called the officer off before she had a chance to speak to Ojo and Crosby.
Then, when the two women were playing on the back nine, “another course official falsely accused them of cutting in front of other golfers.” According to the suit, “an argument ensued between club officials and Oja and fellow player Sandra Thompson, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2019 race for county judge.” The women again “refused to accept refund checks for their club memberships and Chronister again called the cops.”
In filing their lawsuit against Brew Vino LLC, Ojo and Crosby argued they were targeted because of their gender and race and noted they would not have been harassed if they had been white males. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission launched an investigation into the incident and determined the women had probable cause that granted them the right to sue, including that they were “profiled, harassed, evicted, and subjected to different terms and conditions of service because of their protected classes.”
Chronister, a former county commissioner, pushed back against the allegations, though, and said he was “just trying to ensure smooth play” for all the golfers on the course. Following the incident, the course apologized to Ojo and Crosby.
The lawsuit filed by Ojo and Crosby isn’t the only one filed against Brew Vino over the incident, though. In fact, two other women “who were involved in the incidents on the course,” filed their own suit. Sandra Harrison and Carolyn Dow filed their suit back in April 2018 for similar reasons as Ojo and Crosby and are also seeking a default judgment.
Sources:
Black women sue golf course that called cops alleging they were playing too slowly
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