Kathryn Dennis is currently in jail, serving a 30-day sentence as punishment for her wild 2024 DUI car crash, but the former Southern Charm star’s legal headaches won’t be over, even after she’s been released from the clink next month.

The Ashley can exclusively reveal that Kathryn is now being sued by the driver of a car that was part of a three-car pile-up that resulted from Kathryn’s accident.

The man filed paperwork in court in August claiming that he was driving his 2012 Honda in Goose Creek, South Carolina, on May 20, 2024 when he was rear-ended by a Nissan pickup truck— whose driver hit him because he had been rear-ended by a truck that was driven by a drunk and speeding Kathryn. He claimed that Kat “failed to slow her vehicle” before hitting the Nissan, which then hit his Honda. He claims that he has suffered “serious bodily injury” from the accident.

“As a result of said accident, which was solely due to the negligent and wanton, willful recklessness of [Kathryn] in that she made the conscious decision to drive a motor vehicle on a public roadway while under the influence and intoxication of alcoholic beverages,
and/or other controlled substance(s), the Plaintiff suffered serious bodily injury, pain and suffering, and mental anguish, and will continue to do so in the future. Further, that the Plaintiff’s vehicle suffered property damage,” the court paperwork—which was obtained by The Ashley— states.

The man is demanding a jury trial, and states that the amount he’s asking for as compensation for his alleged damages and injuries will be determined at trial. He is seeking property damages, actual damages, punitive damages and the cost of the legal filing, as well as any “other and further relief this Court deems just and proper.”

In September, Kathryn’s auto insurance company, State Farm, was added to the case. The company filed an answer to the Plaintiff’s claims, denying allegations he made in his filed paperwork and “demanding strict proof thereof.” 

“State Farm asserts Plaintiff has failed to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against [Kathryn]; therefore, Plaintiff’s claims should be dismissed…” the insurance company’s answer states, before claiming that the Plaintiff’s request for punitive damages is unconstitutional.

“Punitive damages are inappropriate in this case, since [Kathryn] did not engage in any malicious, reckless, wrongful or intentional conduct upon which an award of punitive damages would be based,” State Farm states in its answer. 

The insurance company’s legal team then states that the man’s alleged injuries were the result of illnesses or injuries he had before the car accident with Kathryn.

“State Farm would further show that Plaintiff’s alleged injuries and damages were caused, in whole or in part, by pre-existing conditions or other contributory or concurrent conditions or factors, including events occurring prior or subsequent to the events made the basis
of Plaintiff’s claims,” the paperwork states. 

It appears the Plaintiff and Kathryn (and her attorney) are attempting to do ADR— Alternative Dispute Resolution— to resolve the matter outside of court, if possible. That has been scheduled for March 2026. 

As The Ashley previously reported, Kathryn was arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and driving with an open container of alcohol on the day of the accident. The arrest became even more memorable when some wild dashcam footage from the squad car went public, showing Kathryn accusing the cops of “ruining her life” and treating her “like an animal,” among other things.

Officers at the scene wrote in the police report that Kathryn smelled like alcohol and had “glossy eyes.” According to the police incident report, Kathryn’s dog was present in the car when officers searched it…as were several empty bottles of liquor.

“I conducted a search of her brown dog bag and located several mini bottles of Fireball, some of which were open and empty,” the report states, adding that Kathryn was holding her dog as she was being checked out by paramedics after the car crash. “While standing near Ms. Dennis, I could smell an odor consistent with the odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from her.”

This is certainly not Kathryn’s first car accident. In October 2023, a deputy who was directing traffic in front of Whitesville Elementary School in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, was reportedly hit by an SUV driven by Kat. The SUV— which left the scene of the crash— was later found parked at Kathryn’s home.

In August 2019, Kathryn racked up not one but two car wrecks. The first came when Kat’s car reportedly struck a guardrail and went on to hit three trees and two light poles before coming to a stop on the southbound side of the road. No one was injured.

Weeks later, Kathryn was driving a rental car— due to having wrecked her car in the crash earlier that month— with her two kids Kensie and Saint in the backseat when she reportedly rear-ended a car on the highway that was stopped in traffic. The rear-ending caused a chain reaction that ended in four vehicles being rear-ended. Although the force of the crash was enough to cause the air bags to be deployed in Kathryn’s car, as well as in the car her vehicle hit, no one was injured. Kathryn was determined to be alcohol- and drug-free at the time of that crash.

The Ashley will update this story when more info is available.

RELATED STORY: Former ‘Southern Charm’ Star Kathryn Dennis Booked Into South Carolina Jail to Serve 30-Day Sentence for 2024 DUI

(Photos: Bravo)