Local News
Pilot who died in Scottsdale crash identified as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky
Scottsdale, AZ – The pilot who tragically lost his life in a private jet crash at Scottsdale Airport on Monday has been identified as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky, according to local authorities.
Vitosky, a highly experienced aviator with six decades of flying experience, was hailed as a hero by his family.
His daughter, Jana Schertzer, credited his skill and composure in the cockpit for saving the lives of the other passengers on board.
“I wholeheartedly believe that the reason those other passengers are alive is because of how he handled it yesterday,” Schertzer stated on Tuesday.
Vitosky’s passion for aviation spanned more than 60 years, beginning with his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he piloted helicopters before transitioning to jets.
Initially, he had intended to become an engineer, but his military service led him to a lifelong career in aviation, including multiple tours during the Vietnam War.
After leaving the Marines, Vitosky pursued a diverse flying career, piloting aircraft for prominent figures such as civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and Maureen Reagan, as well as corporate executives and oil industry leaders.
In addition to private charters, he also conducted critical transport flights, retrieving parts for companies like FedEx and flying transplant patients awaiting life-saving surgeries.
“It wasn’t just about flying wealthy clients,” Schertzer said. “There were so many people who genuinely needed his help—whether it was an emergency transport or a crucial medical flight.”
Vitosky’s love for flying extended to his family, with Schertzer recalling how she and her siblings often accompanied him on flights when seats were available.
“We’ve all grown up going on trips with my dad when we could—when there was space on the plane, and passengers didn’t mind,” she reminisced.
At 78 years old, Vitosky remained an active and capable pilot, defying assumptions about age. Schertzer emphasized that her father was in excellent health, with perfect vision, and came from a family with a history of longevity.
“He was the epitome of health,” she stated. “There was nothing wrong with him—his vision was even better than 20/20.”
The fatal accident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday when a Learjet 35A, arriving from Austin, Texas, experienced landing gear failure upon touchdown at Scottsdale Airport, according to airport officials.
The Learjet, which had two pilots (including Vitosky) and two passengers on board, veered off the runway and collided with a parked Gulfstream jet, which had one occupant inside.
Emergency responders reported that:
- Two individuals suffered critical injuries
- One person sustained non-life-threatening injuries
Air Traffic Response & Investigation
In audio recordings from air traffic control, controllers swiftly redirected nearby aircraft to avoid further complications.
One controller can be heard issuing a warning to an incoming aircraft:
“Maintain altitude and go around. We just had an emergency.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken over the investigation, with federal aviation officials working to determine the cause of the crash.
So far, the only other individual publicly identified from the crash is 43-year-old Rain Hannah Andreani, the girlfriend of Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil.
Neil, who owns the Learjet, was not on board at the time of the crash, according to his legal representative Worrick Robinson IV, who addressed the incident via the band’s official Instagram account.
The runway at Scottsdale Airport was temporarily closed but reopened shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the landing gear failure and subsequent collision. The aviation community, friends, and family members of Joie Vitosky are mourning the loss of a seasoned pilot whose expertise in the skies was widely respected.
Local News
Jimmy Brooks Killed in Wrong-Way Tesla Crash on I-26 in Buncombe County, Driver Bradley Vance Charged
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Jimmy Lee Brooks, 42, of Leicester, North Carolina, died after a wrong-way Tesla crash involving three vehicles on Interstate 26 near Asheville on Thursday afternoon, October 22, 2026.
Several other people were injured in the collision, and the Tesla driver has been charged in connection with the fatal crash.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Bradley Vance Lanier, 54, of Taylors, South Carolina, was driving a Tesla westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-26 near Exit 37 when the vehicle struck a Honda SUV head-on before colliding with a Honda passenger car.
Brooks was a passenger in the Honda passenger car. He was transported to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said troopers responded to the crash at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday near mile marker 37 on eastbound I-26.
According to the agency’s statement, the Tesla entered the interstate traveling west in the eastbound lanes near Exit 37, also associated with Long Shoals Road. The vehicle first struck a Honda SUV head-on and then collided with a Honda passenger car.
A trooper from a neighboring county arrived shortly after the collision and began providing assistance to a passenger inside the Honda passenger car.
The car’s driver and two passengers were transported to Mission Hospital with serious injuries. Brooks was among the passengers and later died at the hospital. Authorities said the conditions of the other occupants were not immediately known.
The driver of the Honda SUV was also taken to Mission Hospital with minor injuries and was later released.
Lanier, the driver of the Tesla, sustained minor injuries and was transported to Mission Hospital before being released, according to the Highway Patrol.
Troopers subsequently charged him with four offenses:
- Driving while impaired (DWI)
- Felony death by vehicle
- Felony serious injury
- Reckless driving
Following his release from the hospital, Lanier was taken to the Buncombe County Detention Facility, where he was being held on a $5 million secured bond, according to the agency’s statement.
The charges are allegations, and the case will proceed through the court system. The official statement does not establish a conviction.
Interstate 26 was closed for approximately two hours while troopers investigated the collision and documented the scene.
The investigation centers on the circumstances that led the Tesla to travel in the wrong direction on the eastbound side of the interstate and the subsequent collisions involving the two Honda vehicles.
Authorities have not released the current medical conditions of all the injured occupants.
The fatal crash claimed the life of Brooks, a Leicester resident, and left several other people requiring hospital treatment.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the collision. Further information about the case may be released as the investigation and legal proceedings continue.