SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Gas & Electric is being blamed in the deaths of four Marines who were killed when their helicopter hit power lines in January 2004.

"They were in a night training mission wearing night-vision goggles, and they needed to have those towers marked because that would have been reflected in the night-vision goggles," said attorney Jim Frantz.

Night-vision goggles allow pilots to see at night and are extremely sensitive to any light source.

A lawsuit against SDG&E alleges the company did not have electrical towers marked.

Capt. Adam Miller, 1st Lt. Michael Lawlor, Cpl. Joshua Harris and Staff Sgt. Lori Privette were killed in the Huey copter crash.

"I just thought it was an accident, and accidents happen and that's all there is to it. When I found out that if there had been lights on the tower we would not be here talking today …," said Privette's father, Bobby.

The families of the victims have come together to file a wrongful death lawsuit against SDG&E, saying the utility company is negligent for not marking the area.

An SDG&E representative said those lines have been there for years and pilots have been flying around them for years.

In a letter dated 11 months after the crash, the Marines asked that the lines in that area be marked.

"To this day SDG&E has not marked that area," said Frantz.