Lawsuit: Sword-fighting student sues instructor for stabbing him in eye and brain
Updated Sep 6, 9:54 AM; Posted Sep 5
A pair of swords is pictured on Swordguild Portland's Facebook page. It's unclear what type of sword Jeremiah DuPrau alleges he was injured with during a March 2017 class.
A photo on Swordguild Portland's Facebook page shows two dueling people. They are also shown wearing protective gear.
Another photo from the Facebook page shows two people in combat.
By Aimee Green
agreen@oregonian.com
The Oregonian/OregonLive
A 35-year-old man who says he was stabbed in the eye by his instructor during a sword-fighting class at the Milwaukie Elks Lodge has filed a $9 million lawsuit against his instructor and the organization that offered the class.
Jeremiah DuPrau describes in his lawsuit how his life has been irreparably changed: The sword not only pierced his eye but also his brain and shattered the bones of his face.
He now is legally blind, unable to see through his right eye and retaining only some of his vision in his left, according to his attorney, John Coletti.
DuPrau’s lawsuit lists the instructor of his sword class, Jason Romandelle Brown, as a defendant along with Swordguild Portland and the Elks’ Milwaukie Portland Lodge No. 142 as defendants. Brown couldn’t be reached for comment.
Sia Rezvani, a Portland attorney for Swordguild Portland, declined comment because of the pending litigation. Thomas Rask, a Portland attorney for the Elks lodge, also declined comment because of the active litigation.
DuPrau's lawyer said his client was attending his third class as a beginner student on March 9, 2017. That's when the instructor called DuPrau over to use as a prop to demonstrate a move for the rest of the class and jutted the sword into DuPrau's eye, according to the lawsuit.
Coletti said Brown didn’t warn DuPrau to put on his protective headgear and face screen beforehand.
“He’s unable to drive, unable to ride his bike, unable to hike,” Coletti said of DuPrau. “He actually had to give his dog away because he was unable to take care of it.”
DuPrau suffered a stroke after the sword entered his brain -- leaving the left side of his body partially paralyzed and making walking and balance difficult, Coletti said.
DuPrau worked as an educational aide for Portland Public Schools, Coletti said. School district officials couldn’t immediately verify whether DuPrau was back at work.
Read the lawsuit,
filed last week, here.
-- Aimee Green
agreen@oregonian.com
o_aimee
Reply With Quote