BOUNCER: LIZZIE DID DRUGS ‘White Trash’ hit by PR whiz levels charge in $21M case

By Brian Harmon
Daily News
July 17, 2001

Lizzie Grubman consumed drugs and alcohol - and had a fight with an ex-boyfriend - the night she backed her Mercedes-Benz SUV into a crowd outside a Southampton nightclub, a lawsuit filed yesterday charges.

The $21 million suit was filed by bouncer Scott Conlon, who contends the public relations powerhouse cursed him and called him "white trash" before slamming her car into reverse, striking him and 15 other people July 7.

Grubman's lawyer, Stephen Scaring, called the drug allegations "absolutely false" - and said Conlon's suit was "an exaggeration" of the incident, which has made headlines for days.

"This whole media frenzy is a result of his false statement that said this accident was intentional," said Scaring, a prominent Long Island attorney. "It is not unexpected that he would make further false allegations."

The 14-page lawsuit - the latest filed against the PR princess - charges her actions were "totally odious to the citizens of a civilized society."

But the most damning allegations are that Grubman, whose clients include music stars Sean (Puffy) Combs and Britney Spears, was seen consuming illegal drugs and alcohol within eight hours of the incident.

The lawsuit does not name the witnesses or say where or exactly when the alleged drug and alcohol use took place. Conlon could not be reached, and his attorney, Christopher Modelewski, would not elaborate.

Police did not perform a blood-alcohol test or ask Grubman, 30, to take a Breathalyzer test the night of the incident.

The lawsuit, filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court, marked the first public accusation that Grubman used drugs.

The action also contains the first claims she was seen arguing inside the Conscience Point Inn with her ex-beau Andrew Sasson shortly before the incident outside the club.

According to the suit, Grubman became infuriated when bouncer Conlon told her to move her vehicle from a fire lane. He said she told him, "[expletive] you, white trash."

Conlon, 31, of Sound Beach, claims the crash occurred "some moments thereafter." That's at odds with Grubman's contention that the incident happened up to an hour after the parking lot argument with Conlon.

Minutes after the crash, a friend drove Grubman to Sasson's Bridgehampton home about 2 miles away, where she stayed until police and her attorney arrived about two hours later. The British-born Sasson is a consultant to the Conscience Point Inn owners.

Grubman was charged with seven counts of assault, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. The case has not yet been presented to a grand jury.

Conlon said in the suit - which also names Grubman's father, Allen, a top entertainment lawyer and the owner of the Mercedes SUV - that the incident left him with "permanent bodily injuries" and "significant disfigurement."

"The scene . . . left the plaintiff [Conlon] in the midst of peculiar carnage reminiscent of an airplane crash," the lawsuit says, "with bloodied bodies lying in close proximity to the plaintiff and producing moans and screams of pain and anguish."

Conlon, a divorced father of a 6-year-old girl, should be considered "a hero" for what he went through, said Conlon publicity representative Mike Paul in Manhattan.

"Instead, his reputation has to suffer after being called something that no one would want to be called," Paul said, referring to Grubman's alleged "white trash" statement.

Conlon's suit is the fourth filed against Grubman, bringing the claims against her to $60 million.