Mechanic facing another lawsuit

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County airplane mechanic who was ordered to pay $30,000 default judgment for allegedly stiffing an Ohio man on an aircraft purchase is facing another lawsuit.

Robert Cripe is now accused of overcharging a Bonner County man for insufficient work in refurbishing a 1953 Piper Tri-Pacer airplane.

Jack Barker’s suit seeks damages against Cripe and Northern Aircraft Maintenance for breach of contract and breach of good-faith dealings. The suit also seeks $15,000 to get Barker’s Piper shipshape.

The suit was filed on March 28 in 1st District Court.

Barker paid Cripe $18,593 to have the plane’s exterior refurbished and the engine overhauled, according to the complaint. Barker alleges Cripe misrepresented the amount of the work that was done and the amount of work that still needed to be done.

Cripe, 39, was sued last year by a Toledo man who wired money for a Cessna 150 that was never delivered to him. A $30,290 default judgment was entered against Cripe after he failed to respond to the civil complaint, court records show.