Man sprayed with fire extinguisher plans to sue SLC businessman
(KUTV) — A Utah man who was sprayed with a fire extinguisher by a local businessman for not putting out his cigarette plans to sue.
Christian Burridge, an attorney with Pearson Butler, who is representing Jon Bird, announced the lawsuit Friday.
Burridge says his client is "not fine."
The lawsuit will be filed within the next two weeks.
Bird explained he was smoking a cigarette on East Gallivan Avenue when Alex Jamison approached him, asking him to stop smoking.
Bird says he obliged and moved a little ways away. When he tried to lit up again, Jamison confronted him.
When Bird refused to put out the cigarette, Jamison sprayed him with a fire extinguisher.
A video of the altercation was posted on social media and has nearly 130,000 views, according to a press release.
Police were called to the scene, but Bird claims Jamison left before they arrived.
Bird said he was volunteering for an arts festival in the area when the incident occurred. He claimed a security guard told him it was OK to smoke there.
Jamison, however, disagreed.
Utah law prohibits smoking within 25 feet of a business entrance. The nearest door to the incident was a door that leads to a parking garage. Outdoor restraint seating was close to where the altercation occurred.
Three days later, Jamison was no longer the owner of three vegan restaurants.
Salt Lake police say Jamison may find himself facing a misdemeanor assault charge.
