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‘Laguna Beach,’ ‘Hills’ star loses civil case

A jury says former “Laguna Beach” personality Jason Wahler owes a tow truck driver $5,000 in damages for a confrontation more than two years ago.Eight women and four men decided on Thursday that Wahler committed battery on Dario Stevenson. The driver said Wahler punched him in the face and hurled racial slurs at him and other blacks during a fight in September 2006.Wahler, who also appeared on
/ Source: The Associated Press

A jury says former “Laguna Beach” personality Jason Wahler owes a tow truck driver $5,000 in damages for a confrontation more than two years ago.

Eight women and four men decided on Thursday that Wahler committed battery on Dario Stevenson. The driver said Wahler punched him in the face and hurled racial slurs at him and other blacks during a fight in September 2006.

Wahler, who also appeared on “The Hills,” acknowledged testimony that he used racial slurs. Jurors rejected justifications by Wahler’s attorney that his client was defending his girlfriend and was too drunk to know what he was saying.

Stevenson may receive punitive damages, but the amount is likely to be drastically smaller than the $1 million his attorney sought.