Golfer Wasn’t Deterred by Blood, Woman Says

AUSTIN (CN) - A woman who was knocked unconscious by a golf ball while celebrating her birthday in her back yard sued a golfer and golf club for negligence, claiming the golfer merely wiped her blood off the ball as it "gushed" from her head, and continued on his round.

Maureen A. Percenti sued Craig Rooker, of Austin, and Noram Management LLC dba the Grey Rock Golf Club, in Travis County Court.

Percenti was celebrating her birthday in April 2013 when she was knocked unconscious and blood "began gushing" from her skull, she says in the lawsuit.

"Soon thereafter, defendant Rooker walked up to the backyard of the property looking for his ball," the 28-page complaint states. "He had been playing Hole 1 on defendant Grey Rock's golf course. Plaintiff's son-in-law told defendant Rooker that his golf ball had hit plaintiff in the head and directed him to the ball, which was covered in blood. Defendant Rooker wiped plaintiff's blood off of his ball and continued playing his golf game."

Percenti says her husband and son-in-law applied pressure to her head with a towel and took her inside the house.

"Blood continued to spurt from the deep head wound." the complaint states. "After plaintiff regained consciousness, she was immediately terrified and believed that she would bleed to death based upon the amount of blood coming from her head wound."

Percenti claims emergency room staff at Seaton Southwest Healthcare Center had difficulty stopping her bleeding and were concerned about the extent of blood loss, as well.

She says she has since suffered from substantial memory loss, neck pain and debilitating headaches, among other things.

Percenti says that after the incident, it was discovered that the tee box for Hole 1 had been changed due to construction, increasing the number of times golf balls would be struck near and into her property.

Grey Rock did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday evening.

Percenti seeks damages for negligence. She is represented by M. Matthew Williams with Hopkins Williams in Austin.

Follow @davejourno

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