Man sues pizza shop in KC’s Northland, alleges he was assaulted in restaurant brawl
Editor’s note: Jeffery Adams was dismissed from the lawsuit without prejudice on July 29, according to court records.
A Kansas City man is suing a pizza shop in the Northland and three other men for an alleged assault, claiming employees allegedly helped the assailants escape and lied to police about the assault.
Robert Johnson is suing Christopher Stills, Jeffery Adams, and Timothy Coffer for their part in an alleged assault that took place in Nicky’s Pizza in the Northland. The owner of Nicky’s, Nicholas Haug, is also listed in the suit.
The lawsuit alleges on Jan. 18, the three men assaulted Johnson, and employees, including Coffer’s daughter, allegedly allowed the men to leave the bar and restaurant before police arrived, and told police they did not know the three men who allegedly committed the assault.
Around 8:30 p.m. that evening, Johnson said he was sitting with two other people at the restaurant while the three men were visibly intoxicated, court documents read.
Adams allegedly made inappropriate comments to one of the people at the table, according to the lawsuit. Parties at both tables exchanged words before Coffer allegedly approached the table and grabbed Johnson by his shirt “with enough force to rip Plaintiff’s shirt.”
Coffer allegedly held Johnson then pushed and hit him, records say. Johnson pushed Coffer in response. Johnson was then “held and immobilized” by Coffer and Adams while Stills allegedly repeatedly punched him in the face. The lawsuit alleges the trio worked as a team grabbing and punching Johnson, and only stopped when they were told police were called, the suit says.
Johnson was kicked out of the restaurant while employees helped the three men escape out the back door before police arrived, the lawsuit says. The three men are known regulars at the pizza shop, the suit contends.
Johnson’s clothes were ripped and stained with blood and his cellphone was stolen. Records say Johnson suffered “severe, permanent, progressive, serious, and disabling injuries, disfigurement and scarring” from the incident.
An incident report from Kansas City police, which is mostly redacted because the case is open, said officers were dispatched to the restaurant for a call allegedly involving 15 people fighting inside the establishment.
Johnson is requesting a jury trial for the case where he seeks “damages that are fair and reasonable.”
Johnson’s attorney and Haug, the restaurant owner, did not respond to requests for comment.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM.
