Vanessa Bryant Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Helicopter Company
Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit against the company that operated the charter helicopter that crashed last month killing her husband — former NBA star Kobe — their daughter Gianna, and 7 others.
According to reports, the lawsuit has been filed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, but spokesperson Mary Hearn said it has not been processed.
A copy of the suit, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, claims helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” when he took off in foggy conditions that grounded police helicopters in the area that day.
The helicopter was not able to be tracked by radar when it crashed Jan. 26 into a hillside in Calabasas, California.
According to the LA Times, the complaint accuses Island Express Helicopters of “negligence” and states the victims were killed as a direct result of the pilot’s actions.
Federal Aviation Administration records show Zobayan was reprimanded five years ago for flying without permission while he had reduced visibility.
The 27-page complaint doesn’t specify a dollar amount; it seeks general, economic and punitive damages, which could total into the millions.
