An action for wrongful death has been filed against Delta Airlines by the executors of a Utah woman’s estate.
The lawsuit claims that Charlotte Sturgeon’s husband, Shawn Sturgeon, was intoxicated and killed Charlotte in the Salt Lake City, Utah, airport because Delta Airlines supplied too much alcohol to him.
The complaint says that Delta’s staff offered Shawn two more drinks while he had already boarded drunk and that the airline’s conduct was intentional and reckless.
According to the complaint, Shawn was reportedly so inebriated on April 4, 2022, from the drinks the crew served him that he had no memory of landing or making his way to the car—a level of impairment that breaches the legal blood-alcohol limit.
According to court records, Shawn and his wife reportedly had a loud dispute in the parking garage. As Shawn got into the SUV’s driver’s seat and sped up, he hit his wife, who stood outside the open back door facing her child and precipitated her fall under the vehicle. The surveillance footage indicates that he ran her over.
Shawn screamed at Charlotte to get up and get into the car. He then picked her up, carried her into the car, and drove to the toll booth for help. After being found unconscious when police arrived, Charlotte was later confirmed dead at a hospital.
Shawn Sturgeon (38) of West Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in Utah State Prison by Judge Paul B. Parker in Utah’s Third District Court on September 9, 2022. In his guilty plea, Sturgeon admitted to committing second-degree vehicular murder, third-degree domestic violence in the presence of a minor, and criminal negligence involving alcohol or drug-induced driving.
The complaint claims that Delta employees knew Shawn was clearly intoxicated when he disembarked the plane, yet they did nothing to stop him or report him.
The complaint additionally stated that Sturgeon’s minor child is now going through emotional and mental distress.
According to a comment made by Delta this week, the company cannot speak more owing to the current lawsuit, but they deny the accusations in the case.
