French Valley plane crash: Parents of 5, prominent car dealership owner among victims
As authorities continue to investigate the crash, the families of the six people killed are mourning their loved ones.
MURRIETA, Calif. (KABC) -- A beloved business owner and a married couple are among the six people who died in a plane crash in Riverside County.
The crash happened early Saturday morning in Murrieta when a Cessna C550 business jet crashed short of the French Valley Airport, killing all six people on board.
On Sunday, the Riverside County sheriff's-coroner office identified the victims as follows:
- Abigail Tellez-Vargas, 33, of Murrieta
- Manuel Vargas-Regalado, 32, of Temecula
- Riese Lenders, 25, of Rancho Palos Verdes
- Alma Razick, 51, of Temecula
- Abraham Razick, 46, of Temecula
Abraham Razick owned the Fullerton Ford in Orange County. The dealership posted a heartfelt tribute to their beloved boss, who was also a beloved father and Marine.
"His spirit and passion for life will not be forgotten along with his commitment to making his community a better place," the post wrote in part. "Honor, courage, and commitment are values he learned serving in the Marine Corps and values he lived by everyday. Rest easy, Abe."
The Razick's four children attend the Rancho Christian School in Temecula. Scott Treadway, the school's president, issued the following statement:
"Mr. and Mrs. Razick's four children are a dearly loved part of the Rancho Christian School family. This terrible tragedy is causing unimaginable suffering for them, so we will do all we can to love, support, and serve them well in partnership with the incredible support system they have with their friends and family. Their teachers are reaching out to the kids and will be an important part of their journey ahead ..."
Two other victims, Manuel and Abigail Vargas, were a married couple from the Inland Empire who, according to friends, had five kids.
Manny Vargas was a pilot, but he was not the pilot flying the plane when it crashed.
"The pilot reported to air traffic control that he was going to perform a missed approach, which generally happens when the pilot can't see the runway," said Eliott Simpson of the NTSB at a press conference Saturday.
Air traffic control cleared the pilot for the missed approach and then cleared the pilot to land again after its first approach. The pilot crashed 500 feet short of his intended runway, and the aircraft, excluding the tail, was engulfed in fire.
Witnesses confirmed the dense fog in the area Saturday morning.
"It was very foggy this morning. It was almost like you were in a snowstorm where you can't see a couple feet ahead of you," said Patrick O'Neil. "So, just getting to work was very challenging. I can only imagine trying to land any type of plane, you know, here at the French Valley Airport."
The deadly crash marks the second time in the past week a plane has crashed near the French Valley Airport. On Tuesday, a pilot was killed when a single-engine Cessna 172 crashed near the airport.
Both crashes remain under investigation.
