Pastor charged over fatal van crash refuses to return to Saipan

A pastor who was the driver of a van that crashed into a utility pole on As Perdido Road that left a pregnant woman and her unborn child dead and three others injured in 2014, has allegedly refused to return to the CNMI to face charges after he was allowed to travel to South Korea supposedly for medical treatment.

The pastor, Chang Hee Nam, is now facing a separate civil lawsuit filed in the Superior Court.

Yancan Liu filed the lawsuit as guardian and grandfather of a minor boy, Yinghui Liu, who was among those injured in the accident.

Li Liu and Xianghua Jin are also co-plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Li Liu is the mother of the boy. Jin was also among those injured in the crash.

The plaintiffs, through counsel Samuel I. Mok, are suing pastor Chang Hee Nam and Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc. for negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

In addition, Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc. was sued for negligent entrustment, negligent hiring and retention, and negligent supervision and training.

Nam, a Korean, was also director and vice president of Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc.

The plaintiffs asked the court to hold the defendants liable to pay them damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees. They demanded a jury trial.

According to Mok in the lawsuit, Nam was the authorized operator of a 2001 Toyota Sienna passenger van, owned by Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc.

Mok said that on June 22, 2014 at 11am, Nam was driving the van with their five congregation members or worshippers (three adults, one minor, and an unborn child) to church services when the van crashed into a utility pole along As Perdido Road.

Mok said Nam was travelling eastbound at an excessive rate of speed on a two-lane As Perdido Road approximately 500 feet west of the CNMI Parks and Recreation Office.

Mok said the van did not have any baby-seats or any functioning seatbelts for passengers.

Mok said prior to the accident, Nam had received numerous traffic citations for speeding and for failing to wear his seatbelt and/or ensuring others in his car were wearing seatbelts.

As a result of the accident, the then-3-year-old Yinghui Liu suffered serious injuries such as a fractured left femur, cuts throughout his body, and contusions on his forehead, shoulder, and temple.

Li Liu also suffered serious injuries such as right cerebellar hemorrhagic contusion as well as multiple fractures in her left arm and multiple fractures in her left hip.

Xianghua Jin suffered a fracture in her left pelvis and hip.

Mok said the accident was so severe that Department of Public Safety’s rescue personnel had to use the “Jaws of Life” to remove all of the victims from the van.

A 5-month pregnant woman, who was one of the passengers, was declared dead on arrival at the Commonwealth Health Center along with her unborn child.

Police then arrested Nam for various violations of traffic laws, including speeding, reckless driving, failing to use seatbelts, and vehicular homicide.

Mok said according to police investigation, it was calculated that Nam was driving the van at 55.29 miles per hour.

Ultimately, the Office of the Attorney General charged Nam with homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, speeding, operating a vehicle with passengers not using a passenger restraint system, and operating a vehicle with child passenger not using a child passenger restraint system.

Mok said the court allowed Nam to travel to South Korea so that he may obtain purported medical treatment for his injuries.

Mok said Nam, however, refused to return to Saipan.

In March 2015, the court revoked Nam’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest and set bail at $150,000 cash.

Mok said as of the filing of this lawsuit, the plaintiffs have not fully recovered from their injuries and their damages continue to accrue in an amount to be determined at trial.

Mok said Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc., as the employer of Nam, had the right to permit and the power to prohibit Nam’s use of the van.

Mok said Saipan Good Baptist Church Inc. knew or had reason to know because of prior traffic violations and other incidents or actions that allowing Nam to operate the van to transport worshippers to Sunday church services involved an unreasonable risk of harm to plaintiffs and others.

Mok said Yinghui Liu personally witnessed his mother, Li Liu, suffer multiple injuries that caused him emotional distress, mental anguish, fear, stress, and anxiety.

The lawyer said Li Liu witnessed her 3-year-old son, Yinghui Liu, suffer multiple injuries that led to her emotional distress, mental anguish, fear, stress and anxiety.

Mok said Xianghua Jin witnessed the co-plaintiffs with whom she has close, personal relationships with, suffer serious personal injuries that caused her emotional distress, mental anguish, fear, stress, and anxiety.