TGI Friday's says drinking elsewhere preceded accident that killed Officer Lorenzo

The restaurant that served alcohol to John D. Leck Jr., who authorities say drove the wrong way on I-95 and killed a Philadelphia police officer in July, says in a court filing that Leck also was drinking at another establishment just before the accident.

The Aug. 28 filing also includes the detailed Pennsylvania State Police accident report of the July 8 crash that killed Officer Brian Lorenzo. One witness, a cabdriver, told investigators that he confronted Leck at the fiery accident scene.

"I went back and told the driver to get out of the car and told him he killed an officer. He just shrugged," the witness said, according to the report.

Lawyers for TGI Friday's in Bensalem filed the documents in response to a lawsuit filed by Linda Lorenzo, the officer's widow.

The lawyers noted that Leck's credit card was processed at 1:16 a.m. and the crash was at 3:13 a.m. about 12 miles away, in Northeast Philadelphia. Leck's blood-alcohol level was reported to be 0.218 percent.

The lawsuit said that Leck, 47, of Levittown, consumed "at least six alcoholic beverages" - three 22-ounce Coors Lights, one 14-ounce Coors Light, and two vodka drinks - at Friday's.

The restaurant served Leck alcohol when he was "visibly and obviously intoxicated," the lawsuit said.

Lawyers for Friday's said "no one at any time witnessed TGI Friday's personnel serve alcohol to defendant Leck while he was 'visibly intoxicated.' "

They also contend that Leck's blood-alcohol level could not have been 0.218 two hours after he left the restaurant if he had consumed only what was reported in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit "fails to name an indispensable party: the establishment or establishments that served defendant alcohol in the two hours immediately before the accident," according to the restaurant's lawyers.

They did not name a place in the court filing.

Cpl. Gerald McShea, a state police spokesman, said investigators tried to determine whether Leck had been drinking elsewhere.

"We suspect it," McShea said, but no establishment could be identified.