Punk musician Barker sues over plane crash

November 24, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

LOS ANGELES — Punk musician Travis Barker on Friday sued companies linked to a plane that crashed in South Carolina, injuring him and killing two friends.

The former Blink-182 drummer sued the plane’s owners Global Exec Aviation, a Long Beach, Calif.-based charter company; Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and Toronto-based Bombardier Inc., an airplane maintenance company, seeking more than $25,000 in damages.

Also named were two charter firms that brokered the flight, Clay Lacy Aviation Inc. and Inter Travel and Services Inc.

Barker’s suit claims the companies improperly operated and maintained the Learjet that overshot a runway and burst into flames Sept. 19 in South Carolina.

The crash injured celebrity disc jockey DJ AM and killed two pilots, Barker’s assistant, Chris Baker, and Barker’s bodyguard, Charles Monroe Still Jr. Still’s mother, Thelma Martin Still, has joined Barker in the lawsuit.

In a statement, Goodyear spokesman Ed Markey said it was “unfortunate” the suit was filed before the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation was finalized.

Birthdays

Former Beatles drummer Pete Best is 67. Actor-comedian Billy Connolly is 66. Actor Stanley Livingston (“My Three Sons”) is 58. Drummer Clem Burke of The Romantics and of Blondie is 53. Actress Denise Crosby (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 51. Actress Shae D’Lyn (“Dharma and Greg”) is 46. Guitarist John Squire of the Stone Roses is 46. Guitarist Gary Stonadge of Big Audio Dynamite is 46. Guitarist Chad Taylor of Live is 38. Actor Colin Hanks (“Roswell”) is 31. Actress Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Roswell”) is 30.