A local resident is seeking damages from Publix Super Markets and a prominent local developer following an alleged trip-and-fall incident outside a liquor store within a shopping plaza in The Villages.
Warren Botta filed the lawsuit in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Sumter County against Morse-Sembler Villages Partnership #2 and Publix Super Markets, Inc.
The lawsuit stems from an incident that allegedly occurred on October 31, 2025, at the Southern Trace Plaza shopping center located at 3475 Wedgewood Lane in The Villages.
According to the complaint, Botta was visiting the commercial plaza on Halloween as a customer. As he walked toward the storefront, he claims he allegedly tripped over a concrete curb situated outside the entrance to the Publix Liquors store, causing him to fall to the pavement.
The lawsuit asserts that both Morse-Sembler Villages Partnership #2, as the property owner, and Publix Super Markets maintained joint control and possession over the business premises and its adjacent walkways. As such, both entities owed a duty to customers to maintain exterior walkways, entrance approaches, and parking areas in a reasonably safe condition.
The complaint accuses both defendants of negligence for failing to maintain the walkways, and of creating a trip hazard near the storefront. It also accuses them of failing to inspect the exterior grounds for structural hazards and failing to warn patrons of the dangerous curb condition.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims the property managers failed to properly train staff to identify walkway hazards or enforce internal safety inspection policies.
Botta claims the fall resulted in significant bodily injuries, physical pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, permanent scarring, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, medical care expenses, and a loss of earning capacity.
The lawsuit demands a trial by jury and seeks compensation exceeding the court’s $50,000 jurisdictional threshold.