Black Fly Named in Skateboarder Death Suit
By JENNIFER BELLANTONIO
Costa Mesa’s Black Fly Industries Inc. has found itself tangled up in a $50 million lawsuit over the death of a rising skateboard star who drowned at a Malibu house party last year.
The family of Keenan Milton of Los Angeles is suing the owner of the Malibu house, Black Fly and other companies cited as party sponsors in a suit filed June 26 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The family is suing for negligence, wrongful death and premises liability, according to the suit.
Jack Martinez, Black Fly’s co-owner, said he wasn’t aware of the suit as of last week. But he said his company didn’t sponsor the party, nor did he attend.
John K. Pierson, the Miltons’ lawyer, contends Black Fly, Santa Monica-based Red Bull Inc., Kik Wear Industries and Third Rail USA Inc., both of Los Angeles, sponsored the party and touted their brands by hanging banners at the house. Black Fly, a maker of sunglasses and other products, has a licensing pact with apparel maker Kik Wear.
Pierson said the party was thrown a year ago at the house of Scott Freedman, a Kik Wear partner, to celebrate the Fourth of July and birthday of Carmella Pignatore, Freedman’s sister. Both are named in the suit, among other attendees.
The bash drew about 1,000 people, including athletes from skateboarding, motorcycling and BMX racing, according to the suit. The suit charges many party goers were underage, drinking excessively, doing drugs and jumping off the house into a pool.
On July 5, Milton, 26, was in the pool, which was murky from trash, the suit said. Milton was hit on the head by a guest who jumped off the patio railing, roof or other structure, the suit said. Milton died of asphyxiation from drowning. The suit said he was in the pool for half an hour before being found.
The suit charges the defendants didn’t provide a trained lifeguard, security or trained bartenders.
Pierson said the defendants have 30 days to respond to the suit, which could go to court within a year. Milton, an African-American in the largely white world of skateboarding, was a team rider for Torrance-based Chocolate skateboards and Tarzana-based DVS Shoe Co.
