GALVESTON, Texas – A woman said she was assaulted at a local hotel and tricked by a man who posed as a good Samaritan.
The woman said the man wasn't trying to help her, he attacked her; and, now she's suing.
The woman is suing Fertitta Hospitality Inc., that does business as the Hilton Galveston Island Resort. And that company is owned by Tilman Fertitta. The plaintiff also sued Hilton Worldwide in a civil lawsuit where she claimed she was raped by a security guard at the hotel.
Beautiful Galveston beach, a vacationer's paradise has become the backdrop for what could be multi-million dollar lawsuit.
In the suit, the plaintiff, a single mother and a professional nurses aid, said she was sexually assaulted and forcibly raped by a security guard at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort. She said she was raped inside a fancy hotel room provided by the security guard as a safe haven for her to relax in.
She said it all started in or near the parking lot of the hotel as she was arguing with her boyfriend. That's when the security guard stepped in to break up the fight.
"He kind of told her that he would take care of her and that she was to stay there for the evening and away from her boyfriend and that he would get her a room there at the Hilton," said Stephen Carrigan, attorney for the plaintiff. "In fact, he got her I think to impress her and get some kind of psychological grip on her or grasp over her and got her a nice double door fancy suite."
Once in the hotel room, the alleged victim said the security guard talked to her, smoked cigarettes with her and put her at ease. But sometime later, she said the guard returned to her room, opened the door with his own key and attacked her, assaulting her over and over again.
"I think he was interested in sexually pursuing her and that's what he ended up doing," said Carrigan. "Used force and we believe held her down and sexually assaulted her and we believe raped her."
In the attack, the plaintiff said she suffered multiple injuries. In her lawsuit, she alleged the defendants, Fertitta Hospitality, Inc d/b/a Hilton Galveston Island Resort and Hilton Worldwide, failed to reasonable protect the plaintiff from harm caused by employees, other guests or non-guests.
This case will be tried in Galveston County. No court date has been set.
Lauren Ware, the head of litigation for Landry's Inc. sent Local 2 this statement:
"Landry's regards this as a frivolous lawsuit. It speaks volumes that no criminal charges were ever brought against the hotel's former security guard, who is also noticeably absent from the lawsuit. The incident originated from a domestic violence dispute between the plaintiff and her fiancée. The hotel took appropriate action and did nothing wrong. We are confident that we will prevail on the merits of the case."