Widow of Austin plane crash victim sues pilot’s widow
The widow of an Internal Revenue Service employee killed when a disgruntled taxpayer flew his plane into a seven-story building in Austin, Texas, last week is suing the pilot’s wife, according to court documents.
Valerie Hunter, the wife of Vernon Hunter, is accusing Sheryl Stack, wife of Andrew Joseph “Joe” Stack III, of negligence, alleging she knew or should have known that her husband was a threat to others and, thus, could have prevented the attack, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Travis County District Court.
“Stack was threatened enough by Joseph Stack that she took her daughter and stayed at a hotel the night before the plane crash. [She] owed a duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid a foreseeable risk of injury to others including [Vernon Hunter],” the suit says…
Hunter was killed February 18 when, authorities say, Stack flew his Piper Cherokee PA-28 into a northwest Austin building that housed nearly 200 IRS employees.
Authorities say Stack set fire to his $230,000 home in Austin before embarking on his fatal flight.
Sheryl Stack issued a statement after the attack expressing “sincere sympathy to the victims and their families.”
So, Sheryl Stack lost her husband and her home. Valerie Hunter lost her husband. Neither is getting her husband back.
I’m not going to rail about Mrs. Hunter suing. She’s going through the worst time of her life. As is Sheryl Stack.
I just don’t understand what the reasoning might be – other than some ambulance-chaser convinced her they can make a bundle in compensation from some insurance company.
Anyone out there know of an insurance company making good on a policy when the insured kills himself in the act of committing a crime?
Its that old devil called love again, money spoils the intensity of it sadly, it’s the way things have turned out.
zorki
February 26, 2010 at 2:09 am
It seems unlikely that her case has the legal merit required, but you are right – no doubt a crushing sadness has more to do with this than anything else.
wok3
February 26, 2010 at 2:27 am
In answer to your question Eideard, no I don’t but I do know of some individuals who continue to attempt insurance fraud upon individuals and corporations with the oversight of the New Mexico Judicial. But, those individuals have already proven they are above the law, over and over and over and over (some thirty plus times). The complicity is astounding and involves some well known public individuals who I am too much of a gentleman to name.
E Trams
February 26, 2010 at 2:38 am