Family Of Pastor Killed In 2013 Wrong-Way Crash Sues Hollywood Nightclub

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The family of a Lancaster pastor who was killed in a 2013 wrong-way car crash in Acton has filed a lawsuit against a Hollywood nightclub for allegedly returning the truck and keys back to the man accused of causing the accident even though he was intoxicated.

Wanda Giles of Victorville, Kenneth Giles of Claremont, Limmie Giles of Rialto and Esther Thomas Giles of San Bernardino filed the lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against King King Hollywood.

Their father, 77-year-old Manard Giles, was killed about 3:30 a.m. June 22, 2013, on the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway
freeway near Escondido Canyon Road.

Manard Giles was a pastor at The Answer Community Church of God in Christ in Lancaster.

The pastor and his passengers were returning from a church event in San Diego when Burbank resident Bradford Pate - who was
allegedly drunk - when he drove his Toyota Tundra south onto the northbound lanes, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Pate's truck collided head-on with Giles' Chrysler 300 and then rolled over and hit a Ford Econoline van with eight occupants, the CHP said.

Giles was pronounced dead at the scene. One of his two passengers, a 47-year-old Lancaster man, was airlifted to an area hospital in critical condition, the CHP said.

Another passenger, an unidentified woman, was transported to a Burbank hospital with major injuries.

According to the lawsuit, King King had possession of Pate's truck keys while he drank at the club late into the night of June 21, 2013, and early into the next morning. It does not state whether the keys were surrendered by Pate to valet operators or other employees while he was at the Hollywood Boulevard establishment.

The complaint alleges negligence and wrongful death and is seeking unspecified damages.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from a representative for King King.

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