SPOKANE, Wash. – A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Spokane International Airport for the deaths of two people on December 18, 2024, when a tree on airport property broke and fell onto the highway.
According to court documents, Eric Saint and Elisha Brian were driving in the right lane of Sunset Frontage Road when the tree broke at the ground level and fell onto the cab of the box truck they were driving.
Sant and Brian died from their injuries the same day.
The lawsuit alleges that the tree was obviously decayed, and that “the airport was aware the tree was dead at the time it fell and long before fell.”
The suit was filed by personal representatives for the deceased.
“The loss of Mr. Saint and Mr. Brian is devastating,” the plaintiffs’ attorney Brandon Batchelor said. “They left behind wives, children, grandkids, and countless others in their grieving community…It could have hurt a member of my family or yours. The airport did not cut down the tree. They did not act.”
