Steve Barnes, Of Cellino & Barnes Law Firm, Dies In Plane Crash
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Lawyer Steve Barnes, of the famous personal-injury firm Cellino & Barnes, was killed Friday when a plane he was piloting crashed in Genesee, New York, his former law partner Ross Cellino confirmed.
According to Cellino, Barnes' niece was also killed in the crash.
"It is with great sadness that I learned of the tragic passing of Steve Barnes in a plane crash," Cellino said. "Equally heartbreaking is the passing of Elizabeth Barnes, sister of Brian Barnes and daughter of Rich Barnes, Steve's brother and an attorney at our firm."
At a Friday afternoon press briefing, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office said that the plane had been traveling to Buffalo from Manchester, New Hampshire, when it crashed into a wooded area in Pembroke.
The plane was a Socata TBM 700 aircraft, according to police. The aircraft is a single-engine turboprop that can carry up to six passengers, according to the manufacturer's website.
Cellino and Barnes, whose catchy jingle is well known across Los Angeles and the rest of the country, split as business partners this year.
The Barnes Firm has California offices in Los Angeles, San Fransisco, and San Diego.