Late Singer Jenni Rivera's Estranged Husband Sues Private Company For Wrongful Death
Feb. 14 2014, Published 7:53 p.m. ET
Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera's estranged husband, Esteban Veyna, is suing the owner of the Learjet plane that his late wife was tragically killed in during a fiery crash last year, alleging that the aircraft was 43 years old and had a history of mechanical issues, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
RadarOnline.com broke the story: Jenni, two pilots and four other passengers were killed when the plane they were traveling on went down about about 60 miles after take off from Monterrey, Mexico. The plane did have a black box recorder, but couldn't be recovered from the fiery crash.
According to the lawsuit, the jet was owned and operated by Starwood Management and the pilot, Miguel Soto, was 78 years-old and wasn't qualified to be a pilot — his license to fly only allowed him to be a co-pilot. The Learjet also allegedly exceeded its weight capacity, and the co-pilot, Alejandro Torres, 20, had a pilot's license that didn't allow him to fly a jet with passengers.
- ‘RHONJ’ Custody Battle: Amber Marchese’s Husband Accuses Ex-Wife Of Trying To Have Son ‘Falsely Diagnosed With Autism’ In Explosive Court Documents
- Housewives Legal Bust! Richard Wakile Loses Court Case, Ordered To Pay Outstanding Debt
- Loser Landlords? Inside Joe And Melissa Gorga's Bitter Feud With Tenant
Furthermore, the aircraft was 43 years old and had a history that included a 2005 accident that "resulted in structural damage to the left wing and airframe."
The lawsuit states that Esteban and Rivera were "legally married, and at all times relevant were lawfully wedded husband and wife, respectively."
However, the couple had filed divorce papers just two months before the she died, citing irreconcilable differences.
Rivera, nicknamed “Diva de la Banda,” was born in Long Beach, Calif. Her impressive career accolades include more than 15 million records sold, three Latin Grammy nominations and a pair of Billboard Mexican Music Awards (female artist of the year and banda album of the year) more recently.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial.