Lawyer for Tiger Woods employee killed in drunk driving crash rips golf great: ‘He ignored his own problem for years’

Lawyers for a staffer at Tiger Woods’ Florida restaurant, who was killed in a drunk driving accident, say the golf great ignored the employee’s alcoholism as he “ignored his own problem for years.”

Nicholas Immesberger, who was 24, lost his life in the tragic crash on Dec. 10 after leaving The Woods restaurant in Jupiter. His blood alcohol was .256, more than three times the legal limit, according to the lawsuit brought by his family in Palm Beach County.

“Nick was a good kid, a funny kid. He had a lot of drive,” his father Scott Duchene said during a press conference on Tuesday. “He was taken away from us.”

Lawyers for Nick’s family say he was drinking for three hours after the restaurant closed before getting behind the wheel. Mom Mary Belowsky said during the press conference that a phone call to his parents to come and pick him up was all that was needed.

“They fueled his addiction with more alcohol instead of help,” lawyer Spencer Kuvin told reporters.

Kuvin said that there was surveillance video of Nick drinking extensively on the night of his death, but claims the footage was destroyed by the restaurant.

Woods was named in the lawsuit along with girlfriend Erica Herman, who is the general manager of the restaurant. Kuvin said that Nick had been overserved just one month before and had crashed his vehicle that night as well.

The golfer was not at the restaurant on Dec. 10, but Kuvin said he has evidence that the newly-minted Masters champion and his girlfriend had been at the bar with Nick when he was drinking just a few nights before.

He said Woods, of all people, should have known to take better care of his employee.

“Just like he ignored his own problem for years, he and his girlfriend chose to ignore this problem that their own employee had,” Kuvin said during the press conference.

Woods was arrested for DUI in Florida in 2017, and has been treated for substance abuse and a sex addiction.

When asked about the lawsuit, Woods told reporters on Tuesday that “we are all very sad that Nick passed away. We feel bad for him and his entire family.” Woods is on Long Island preparing for this week’s PGA Championship.

Nick’s mother said during the press conference that her son, who is also survived by four siblings, wanted to be a firefighter.

“He wasn’t finished here yet, he had plans to do stuff and help people,” she said.