Vanessa Bryant and other plaintiffs have reached a settlement with the the company of the helicopter involved in the crash that killed her husband, former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, her teenage daughter Gianna, and seven others last January.
Court documents, obtained by KABC, said:
Plaintiffs and Defendants jointly report that they have agreed to settle their claims in the above-entitled action.
Bryant, along with the families of the other victims, filed a lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters after the crash, alleging that the pilot, Ara Zobayan, flew at an excessive speed and that the helicopter was not safe enough to fly.
The helicopter was flying from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament in Ventura County on Jan. 26, 2020 when the chopper flew into thick fog in the San Fernando Valley. The crash was deemed an accident as no mechanical failures in the helicopter occurred.
In February, investigators discovered that the poor decision making of Zobayan, who also died during the collision, led to the helicopter crash.
The settlement's terms have not yet been disclosed and a judge needs to approve the agreement.
The pilot's estate was named as a defendant in the suit as well.
Bryant also sued the Los County Sheriff's Department because deputies reportedly shared photos of the crash site with people who were not involved in the case, according to Fox News.
Her attorneys said in a court filing:
The discomfort and distress she has suffered from government personnel using graphic photos of her deceased loved ones as gossip fodder is very real.
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