MIAMI — Last month, a self-described Texas minister claimed members of his church owned six units at the Surfside condominium building that collapsed and that they had died in the tragedy. He wanted to collect $3.1 million in damages for their loss.
But the pastor of Baptist Faith Church in Dallas didn’t even show up for a critical Miami-Dade court hearing Wednesday on his claim, noting he could not attend because he “underwent life-threatening surgery.”
“He’s on life support,” a church representative emailed a court-appointed attorney, who has been coordinating the damage claims for the Champlain Towers South class-action case brought by the relatives of 98 people who died in the collapse last year. “Other pastors are on a tight schedule. ... If the court wishes to disallow or deny the [church’s] legal settlement, go ahead. ... You don’t need to reply.”
