Pilot to Face Murder Charges

Los Angeles Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner announced today that he plans to upgrade charges filed against an Encino pilot to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of flying under the influence of alcohol in connection with an April 9 Malibu-area private plane crash that took two lives.

Reiner said he decided to revise the initial charges of involuntary manslaughter filed Wednesday against Roger Amiran, 23, after learning that the pilot, while on the ground, has been cited for 13 motor vehicle moving violations during the past two years. Meanwhile, federal air authorities reported that their own investigation of the crash is continuing and that no action has been taken to suspend or revoke Amiran’s certificate to fly planes.