Former SDSU Football Player Sues PB Bar Over Bouncer's Body Slam

A former San Diego State University football player says a bouncer at the popular Pacific Beach bar Backyard Kitchen and Tap body-slammed him, leaving him with post-traumatic stress and mild brain damage.

Andrew Schuurs has filed a civil suit claiming assault, battery, and negligence in hiring, supervision and training of the security guards.

“If it stops or prevents one individual from having a good night at a bar from getting half the injuries I have, I’d say it's a 100-percent success,” Schuurs said.

Surveillance video from November 2017 shows the 6-foot-5 San Clemente man body slammed to the ground by a Backyard Kitchen and Tap security guard while being thrown out of the bar.

When asked what started the commotion, Schurrs replied, “I don’t know. Because I hit my head so hard getting that impact, it rocked me.”

Another video from inside the bar shows Schuurs standing in line outside the bathroom when security raced after someone who cut in front of him.

Minutes later, security dragged Schuurs out of the bathroom and out the back door where he was slammed on the ground by one security guard, then others started surrounding him.

The 23-year-old underwent facial reconstructive surgery, but the mental scars remain.

“I’m having pain and constant concentration issues,” he said.

A manager for Backyard Kitchen and Tap says their security guards are employees of the company. And all of them have Guard Cards with the Bureau of Investigative Services, one of two state-mandated security guard licenses.

One security expert says the statewide issue with the cards is guards don't always have proper training or a training certificate.

It’s something Schuurs and his attorney Douglas Rochen of Abir, Cohen, Treyzon Law Firm hope the civil suit will help change.

“Their actions have caused a ripple of catastrophic consequences that will plague Andrew the rest of his life,” Rochen said. “All they needed to do was learn how to behave in the environment in which they created, which they failed to do miserably."

Backyard Kitchen and Taps’ attorney said he couldn’t comment until he spoke with his client.