Andy & Sophie's Lawsuit 'Has No Merit': Owner

JOLIET, IL — The owner of Andy & Sophie's Bar on North Hickory Street says a lawsuit filed Thursday by Elier Trujillo, who was shot in January by another patron, has no merit. Trujillo's attorney, Robert Lewin, filed the two-page suit Thursday, but suburban Chicago attorney Patrick Walsh, a Joliet native who bought Andy & Sophie's in 2019, doesn't seem worried.

"We didn't do anything wrong," Walsh told Joliet Patch during a phone interview Thursday. "I have not seen the lawsuit, but I feel pretty confident that there is zero liability on our part. There is no zero merit to this lawsuit. These allegations have no merit."

Walsh said that lawsuits like this "are unfortunately part of the business," and "we don't have any responsibility" for last January's shooting.

According to the suit, Trujillo, a 35-year-old Will County man, was critically injured on Jan. 31, 2020, at the Andy & Sophie's Bar, 931 North Hickory St. Andy & Sophie's employees are accused of selling or giving intoxicating liquors to accused shooter Matthew Ramones, and his intoxication "caused (him) to injure plaintiff and caused serious and grievous bodily harm to plaintiff," according to the suit.

As a result of being shot at Andy & Sophie's, Trujillo is obligated to pay for expensive medical care and a prolonged hospital stay, and his expenses will continue into the future, court records state.

Joliet Patch previously reported that Trujillo was shot multiple times in his abdomen.

"He was shot four times and was in critical condition [and] had to undergo surgery asap. Worst night of our life I tell you they didn't think he was going to make it but by the grace of God he made it out of surgery after 3 long hours [and] he's stable but has permanent disfigurement and PTSD. He has a very long road of recovery," reads the GoFundMe called Recovery Funds For Eli.

The plaintiff's lawsuit accuses Andy & Sophie's of violating the Illinois Dram Shop Act and seeks a judgment in excess of $70,000, plus legal costs for filing the lawsuit.

Walsh, the new owner of Andy & Sophie's Bar, told Patch on Thursday that the Joliet Police Department "did a spectacular job" investigating last January's shooting, immediately identifying the alleged shooter.

Walsh told Patch that Ramones and Trujillo had been inside his bar "less than an hour" prior to the shooting, which happened right outside.

Trujillo ran back inside the bar after being shot multiple times, Walsh said.

"There's information that the offender and victim had a prior relationship" as friends, Walsh said.

Last February, Joliet Patch reported that police had obtained a warrant for Ramones' arrest, charging him with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

U.S. Marshals were credited by Joliet police with helping locate Ramones, who was booked into the Will County Jail in March 2, 2020.

Ramones has been in jail ever since, unable to post 10 percent of his $2 million bail.

Ramones lived in the 500 block of Joliet's North Broadway Street, not far from Andy & Sophie's, at the time of the near-fatal shooting, jail records reflect.

Andy and Sophie Wrobel ran the well-known neighborhood bar at the corner of Moran and Hickory Streets for 45 years, from 1974 until 2019.

Walsh, a private practice lawyer in suburban Hinsdale, bought the property and acquired the liquor license in 2019. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Andy & Sophie's was shut down in March 2020 and has not reopened.

The inside of the bar has been undergoing renovations, and Walsh told Joliet Patch during Thursday's interview that he has been following the governor's coronavirus restrictions over the past several months.

"I'm hoping it gets open real soon," Walsh remarked.

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