JOHN COFFELTContributor

The Coffee County Circuit Courts have awarded a Grundy County man over $750,000 on Monday, Aug. 11, following an alleged violent assault a year ago by a staff member and a guest at the Southern Inn in Manchester.

According to court records, Robert Luna, of Grundy County, was staying at the Southern Inn to shorten his commute to his employment in Murfreesboro when attacked in August of 2024.

In the suit, Luna alleged he was threatened at gunpoint by a drunken maintenance person, Terrance DeShields. The suit further alleged that he was ambushed and choked by a guest of the hotel, then beaten by the two in an assault that resulted in Luna receiving internal injuries and loss of teeth.

The assault is reported to have occurred after DeShields had stepped out in front of Luna when he was on the way to nearby Wendy’s Restaurant.

Upon Luna’s return, DeShields allegedly threatened him with a gun. Luna then knocked the gun from his attacker’s grip and pushed him to the ground. DeShields’ friend and resident of Southern Inn, Josef Jones then allegedly snuck up and grabbed Luna in a choke hold while the beating took place.

The two were arrested and indicted for aggravated assault at the time of the incident.

The suit also alleged that the Southern Inn knew or should have known the dangerous tendencies and criminal history of its employee. The suit also alleged that management was previously told that DeShields and others were selling or exchanging drugs on the hotel premises.

The suit alleged too that the hotel failed to maintain an operable lock on Luna’s door as well as having broken fixtures and bed bugs in the room.   

Luna was awarded a total of $754,681.68 against the defendants for compensatory damages, non-economic damages and court costs in the default judgement.