A famous director/actor has been sued for allegedly playing a part in the death of a guy who was driving a golf cart.
In August 2006, Peter Berg, director of "Hancock" and "Friday Night Lights," was riding in a Cadillac when the car allegedly struck a golf cart on State Route 202 in Arizona. Twenty-five year-old Nick Papac, the driver of the golf cart, was killed.
Francis Keao, Berg's assistant, was driving; Berg was in Arizona shooting "The Kingdom" at the time of the crash.
Berg, who starred on "Chicago Hope," and Keao are being sued for burial expenses and unspecified damages. Nick's parents filed the lawsuit today in L.A. County Superior Court.
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There are no facts of the accident listed other than the folks being sued were in a Cadillac, and the guy that died was on a public highway in a golf cart. Was it street legal? Was it operating under traffic laws? The parents claim he was negligent but who knows?
Those Bracelets Aren't From Tiffany:
If Peter Berg's assistant was driving his car, why is Peter Berg being sued? If Peter Berg's assistant caused someone's death who was driving a golf cart on a street (is that legal?), then sue the assistant. I understand that Peter Berg has auto insurance, but he cannot control someone else's driving. If the "victim's" parents have no other means of obtaining money to bury him, then technically, seek financial reimbursement from Mr. Berg's insurance because his vehicle was involved in the accident, but other than that...
I'm still trying to figure out why a 25-year-old man was driving a golf cart on a street. If that's the case, HE was enacted poor judgment and the case should not only be thrown out, his parents should be forced to pay Mr. Berg's attorneys' fees as well as his assistant's attorneys' fees.
Some people need help.
The story does not explain that both vehicles were driving on a section of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway which was closed for the film crew. The driver of the golf cart, Nick Papas, was an assistant propmaster working on the film.
This accident happened between members of a film crew - not just some idiot riding on the highway in a golf cart. Shame on TMZ for not accurately reporting the story. Nick was working on the same film as the director and the person driving the car.
Terrible story anytime there is an accidental death. Interesting details from Ppan - why did TMZ leave that out?! Wondering why the family is looking for burial expenses and damages two years later?!
W-wait a dang minute here. Did I read this right? The guy is being sued because he was a passenger in a car that hit a golf cart that shouldn't have been on a road made for CARS anyway???? How ridiculous. Seems to me the victims parents are just picking on this guy because he may have a good bit of money. What a waste of the court system's time!
I stand corrected. But the director should not be liable. He wasn't driving the car.
Dumb.. and dead.. Why was he driving a golf cart on the street? I think Mary Kate Olson killed him. She is on a rampage these days.
This is a complete BullS**t case!!! There is no way Berg should be held accountable for the "accident". Did we forget he was a passenger in the car? Not many facts were reported on this one.....but I find it hard to blame Berg. Oh, WAIT, he's got $$$
jesus, leave peter berg out of it. it was an accident. a terrible, terrible accident. i'm sure berg and his assistant feel bad enough as it is, but they did not hit him on purpose. i understand the parents must be going through a lot of grief, but how does suing make them feel any better? shame.
Sniff Snifff... this smells of Verne Troyer! LOL LOL Look what he's started. I wonder when his woman will be posting her law suit against the mystery gift he gave her!
It's a frivolous lawsuit! Passengers are not liable for the actions of the driver, period! I'm sad to hear of this man dying in an unfortunate accident, but it was an accident, not an intentional malicious act. This lawsuit makes no sense whatsoever. I think all these people need to absorb their loss and move on.
Berg is being sued because he is the assistant's employer and the accident happened while the assistant was working (i.e.: driving Berg onto the location). Just like if a Pizza Hut driver gets into an accident, Pizza Hut's insurance covers the damages. If the guy broke the law, he was still acting as an agent of his employer. If the driver has a bad driving record or is known for reckless behavior behind the wheel, Berg can be liable just for that. If they sue Berg, they should be suing the production company as well, since it was a workplace incident.
they should sue the insurance company, not peter, if this happened on set then this should be covered by insurance. My guess is they got no where with the insurance company and are now going after Peter. When did being successful become such a liability.
