"Christmas Story" Director Killed in L.A. Car Crash

Posted Apr 4th 2007 3:45PM by TMZ Staff

Bob ClarkBob Clark, director of "A Christmas Story" and a producer of the "Porky's" films, was killed today on California's famed Pacific Coast Highway when his car was hit head-on by an SUV driven by a man who was later arrested for being under the influence of alcohol.

Clark's son, 22-year-old Ariel Hanrath-Clark, was riding with his father and was also killed in the crash.

TMZ has learned that police arrested 24-year-old Hector Velazquez-Nava, the driver of the SUV, on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, and that Velazquez-Nava will be booked once he is released from the hospital. We're told that Velazques-Nava had a female passenger whose status is unknown at this time.

According to police, the Clarks were riding in a silver Infiniti around 2.30 AM Wednesday on PCH in Pacific Palisades. The Infiniti was badly damaged in the crash, and the SUV's front end was mangled.

Filed under: Movies


Tags: Bob Clark, BobClark

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1. My deepest sympathies to the family ...it is so tragic to lose both father and son like this

Posted at 4:19PM on Apr 4th 2007 by Sarah

2. sad,,,,,,very very sad......heard the bad news on the way to work this morning. it's always a drunk or a person on drugs that takes a life of a good person.

Posted at 4:22PM on Apr 4th 2007 by leen salas

3. So sad.. I feel for the wife and mother of that boy. MADD should burn that jerk at the steak.

Posted at 4:23PM on Apr 4th 2007 by Reali~Tee

4. My thought and prayers to the family. I can't imagine to lose two members. My prayers to the loser that got drunk and decided to take other peoples lives into his hands, I pray for his family as well. As I'm sure this will no doubt tear up his family also.

Posted at 4:24PM on Apr 4th 2007 by !!!!!!!

5. To all you dirtbag cads out there who flaunt your drunkeness as if you just scaled Mount Everest (Hey everyone! Look at me! I'm sooooo drunk), this is what your irresponsibility leads to: destroyed lives and families.

And please, don't give me the line that "I always look for a designated driver". Complete unadulterated bovine feces. Anyone who willingly damages his or his body is inherently disrespectful of others. Every night, drunken bastards play Russian Roulette with the lives of others because they lack the capability and common human decency to control their ethyl alcohol intake.

I hope this mother f***er gets his pyloric sphincter repeatedly and violently violated in prison for the next 25 years.

Posted at 4:26PM on Apr 4th 2007 by P.J.

6. my heart goes out to the family. Its just so sad that losing two family memeber at the same time its so tragic. I heard about this accident when i woke up this morning, i was so sadden by it. yes i do live in southern orange county. Rest in Peace. His son is my age. i cant bare to hear this.

Posted at 4:26PM on Apr 4th 2007 by babybunny

7. my condolences to the family of the victims in this case.....i actually saw the scence this morning on t.v...it was horrible! the drunk driver who hit him should be put away forever...if he himself makes it!!

Posted at 4:27PM on Apr 4th 2007 by i saw this on t.v

8. This is sad. Celebrities and anyone else who have gotten away with DUI's -see how innocent peoples lives are ruined!

Posted at 4:34PM on Apr 4th 2007 by JV

9. That's so sad. Hy heartfelt sympathy to the family. At a loss for further words, so very sad.

Posted at 4:34PM on Apr 4th 2007 by imakemistakes

10. How sad christmas story is my all time favorite movie

Posted at 4:35PM on Apr 4th 2007 by piano

11. My sincere and deepest condolences on the loss of Mr.Clark and his son. My prayers go out to their family and friends who will forever be affected by this tragedy.
Drunk and Drugged drivers end lives too early, everyday. This must stop.

Posted at 4:41PM on Apr 4th 2007 by deanne

12. How sad.....Im sorry for the family.
I hope they throw the driver in jail for life

Posted at 4:42PM on Apr 4th 2007 by Buffy1990

13. My heart goes out to the Clarks and all the others killed by drunken 'immigrants'. And there are many others, just watch the news.

Posted at 4:46PM on Apr 4th 2007 by Mike

14. My brother lost both his two sons and wife to a drunk driver. I hope that the little Hollywood celebrities who think DUI is so cute wake up and see what damage can be done. And usually it's the innocent victim who gets killed.

Posted at 4:47PM on Apr 4th 2007 by candy

15. That is so sad...too bad idiots will never learn to stay home & not drive after they get all f'd up!

Posted at 4:52PM on Apr 4th 2007 by my opinion doesnt matter but here it is anyway

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