The wife of a 43-year-old man who died after allegedly eating food contaminated with the norovirus has filed a $2.9 million lawsuit against a popular Forest Grove restaurant.

Stacey Weeks faults Maggie's Buns for catering a meal that she believes was tainted with the norovirus. Her husband, Kevin Weeks, was a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Forestry and ate the food at the work event on Friday, March 15, 2013.

Public health investigators said 15 other people fell ill by the following Saturday, but most were feeling better by Monday. Weeks, however, died the following Tuesday -- four days after dining at the gathering.

Investigators determined that most of those who were sickened ate watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple or strawberries from a fruit tray. But investigators said in March 2013 that they didn't know how the virus ended up there.

The virus is spread directly among people through contact or through contaminated food, water or surfaces. It's highly contagious, but doesn't usually kill.

Shortly after Weeks died, deputy state medical examiner Dr. Clifford Nelson said Weeks was exposed to the norovirus at the event, but it appeared that Weeks had health problems that caused his death. Nelson said, however, that he was awaiting some test results before he could draw a final conclusion.

On Monday, the Oregonian/OregonLive phoned the state medical examiner's office seeking Nelson's final determination, but was told by a staff member that it's unclear if that information is public and could be shared.

Gary Norris, the McMinnville attorney for Weeks' estate, couldn't be reached for comment. But the suit states that Weeks "became violently ill due to the norovirus contamination, and as a direct and substantial result, he died."

The suit alleges that the restaurant failed to "follow appropriate sanitation procedures for employees having contact with food" and failed to "protect prepared food from contamination from outside sources."

Mark Zipse, a Portland attorney representing Maggie's Buns and its owner Maggie Pike, said he couldn't offer much comment because he didn't want to try the case in the press.

"We're looking forward to letting the usual litigation, discovery process shed a little more light on things," Zipse said.

The restaurant, which is next to Pacific University, is a popular coffee, breakfast and lunch spot. It's known for its sizable cinnamon rolls.

Among damages, the suit seeks $200,000 for pain and suffering endured by Weeks before his death, $1,923 for funeral and burial expenses, $1.2 million for economic losses to Weeks' estate and $1.4 million for loss of companionship of his wife, adopted daughter and parents.

The suit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court last Friday.

-- Aimee Green

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