Party guest sues fraternity over falling drone

A woman sued a USC fraternity chapter and an event-planning company Tuesday, claiming she suffered severe head injuries when a drone that was being used to photograph attendees at the fraternity party fell last fall.

The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit lists Pi Kappa Phi and Perfect Event Inc. as the defendants, according to the City News Service. Alina Pituch, the woman suing both parties for negligence and premises liability, is seeking unspecified damages. USC is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

Pi Kappa Phi President Kyle Wiest said in an email to the Daily Trojan that the fraternity does not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Pituch arrived at Pi Kappa Phi’s “Glow Party” at around 11 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2015. The event was held in the backyard of Pi Kappa Phi’s house. According to the suit, the fraternity hired Perfect Event Inc. to organize the party and employ the operator of the drone that took pictures of those at the event.

Pituch alleges that about 15 to 20 minutes after her arrival, a “heavy object fell on [her] head, causing her to stumble forward into a friend, who caught [her] before she fell down.” After the object struck her, Putich’s head began to bleed “vigorously” and she was taken by ambulance to a hospital, according to her court papers.

In her complaint, Pituch alleges that the object was later identified as a drone and caused her to suffer injuries to the back of her head, forehead and left eye. Pituch also claims she felt dizzy and became disoriented due to the force of the blow.

The lawsuit claims Pituch suffers from permanent scarring on her head and forehead and that her ability to focus on school work has been “compromised” due to the headaches she has been experiencing after the injury.