Indian Hotelier accused of negligence

NILES, MI — An Indian-American hotel owner in Niles, Michigan, accused by parents of a 13-year old killed in the pool area from toxic fumes last year, admitted in a deposition that he had not checked the maintenance instructions.

April 1 marks one year since the fatal carbon monoxide poisoning at the Niles Quality Inn killed Bryan Douglas Watts and poisoned several others. Jay Patel has given his deposition and those affected have filed a lawsuit against Patel, as well as the inspector, alleging negligence.

According to the instructions, the pool pipes and other parts had to be inspected every six months.

“Patel first faults the seller, called AJ in his deposition for not telling him he was leaving a manual in the equipment room, but he mainly blames the inspector he hired for $1400, Mark Modlin with Amerispec, for not alerting him to safety concerns,”

Johnson also said that Modlin in his deposition, said he did nothing wrong and was not supposed to investigate, and that it was the owner’s responsibility to do that.

A jury trial is expected to be set for late fall or early winter.