‘Christmas Story’ Director Dies in Fiery Crash

Allie @ Gone Hollywood | Thursday, April 5, 2007

Bob Clark, whose film “A Christmas Story” became a seasonal fixture for its bittersweet cataloging of holiday dreams and disappointments, was killed with his son in a car crash. He was 67.

Clark and Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, were traveling on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades when they were killed Wednesday, said Lyne Leavy, Clark’s personal assistant.

Their car was struck head-on by an SUV that a drunken driver steered into the wrong lane, police said.

“It’s a tragic day for all of us who knew and loved Bob Clark,” said Scott Schwartz, who played the flagpole-licking character Flick in “A Christmas Story” and kept in touch with Clark over the years. “Bob was a fun-lovin’, jelly-roll kinda guy who will be sorely missed.”

The driver of the other vehicle, Hector Velazquez-Nava, 24, of Los Angeles was arrested and booked for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol and gross vehicular manslaughter. He was being held on $100,000 bail.

“The initial investigation has concluded that Nava was driving without a license northbound in the southbound lanes while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, a police spokesman.

An LAPD officer said early Thursday she didn’t know if Nava had an attorney.

source

‘Christmas Story’ Director Dies in Fiery Crash

ADVERTISERS

OTB MEDIA

TOPICS

TAGS

LINKS

Blogroll

AFFILIATIONS