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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/08/07/skydiving-teacher- killed-devrey-lariccia-perris/74687026007/

A skydiving instructor caught in a short-lived whirlwind was killed Friday after crashing into a Southern California field.

A student on a tandem skydive with the instructor also died after being hospitalized after the reported accident in Perris, a city in Riverside
County, officials confirmed.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office, who responded to the scene,
identified the skydiving instructor who died as Devrey LaRiccia, 28, of Menifee.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Riverside County coroner's office told
USA TODAY the second skydiver died at the hospital two days later.

The coroner's office identified that victim as Kayla Black, 28.

According to sheriff's officials, about 2:30 p.m., deputies were
dispatched to Skydive Perris, one of "the largest, most state-of-the-art,
and highly-respected dropzones in the world," according to the business' website.

The business is located in an area known for skydiving about 70 miles
southeast of Los Angeles and 80 miles north of San Diego.

Two skydiving victims taken to hospital
At the scene, deputies located both victims suffering from major injuries
in an open field, according to a sheriff's office release.

Both the women were taken to a hospital where, according to a coroner's
report, LaRiccia died that day.

Black was pronounced dead at the hospital just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, the coroner's spokesperson said.

Sheriff's officials said foul play is not suspected in the case, and
notified the Federal Aviation Administration who they reported is handling
the investigation.

"The FAA investigates the packing of the main and reserve parachutes, and
the rules of flight for the pilot and aircraft," an FAA spokesperson told
USA TODAY Thursday. "If the FAA does not find any evidence of regulatory violation, it will defer any further investigation of the accident to
local law enforcement."

The FAA spokesperson said its agency is not responsible for determine the
cause of the crash.

"The instructor who passed was a beloved member of our skydiving
community," Skydive Manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld released in a statement
to USA TODAY.

"The skydiving community is small and tight-knit, and this tragic loss has profoundly affected the Skydive Perris community," the statement
continues, adding LaRiccia "lived fully and inspired all of her
colleagues. She was passionate about introducing others to the sport of skydiving. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of
both Devrey and the student."

'Her last jump of the day'
According to her partner of five years, Freddie Chase, LaRiccia worked for Skydive Perris, and went to work "happy as ever" the day she died.

Chase, who lives in Perris and met LaRiccia skydiving, told USA TODAY
LaRiccia and her student were on a tandem skydive on her last jump of the
day when they collided with a “dust devil” causing them to crash to the
ground.

"There was no malfunction, there was no plane incident, she was turning
her canopy on final to come land safely on the grass, like she has done hundreds of times," said Chase, 32. "She noticed what we call in the
industry 'dust devils' small little tornados that are dangerous in the
sport."

What are dust devils?
Dust devils are "a common wind phenomenon" that occur worldwide, according
to the National Weather Service.

The rapid rotating wind is filled with dust created by strong surface
heating, and are generally smaller and less intense than a tornado, NWS
said. They have an average height of about 500 to 1000 feet and usually
last only a few minutes before dissipating.

'An uncontrolled spin to the ground'
At about 40 feet, Chase said, she managed to avoid one dust devil, "but
caught a second one."

"With dust devils going over grass they become invisible because you can't
see any dust in the direction they're going," Chase said. "It sent her
canopy in an uncontrolled spin to the ground."

Chase said his partner was “unconscious but breathing” after the fall
before she was taken to the hospital.

"She passed when I arrived at the hospital," Chase said.

'You were too perfect for this world'
In tribute to her on Instagram, Chase wrote “Devrey Jane Lariccia... my
ride or die, my everything... You were too perfect for this world.”

"Having to say goodbye to you for now will forever be the hardest thing I
will ever do in my life.”

A fundraiser created by family to help with LaRiccia's funeral expenses
had raised nearly $60,000 as of Thursday.

"Our family has been overwhelmed with words of love and support from those
who knew Devrey and those who just met her in passing," Marcelline
LaRiccia of Maine, who created the fundraiser, wrote on the page. "We are
doing as best as we can as each moment passes. Blue skies and fly high."

A separate fundraiser for Black had raised more than $33,000 as of
Wednesday afternoon.

"Kayla was a vibrant and loving woman, whose spirit touched everyone she
met,” a friend of the Black family, who created the page, wrote. “Her infectious smile and boundless enthusiasm for life brought joy to her
family, friends and all who knew her.”

The post goes onto say Black is survived by her parents Bill and Gail
Black, her brother Brandon Black and a host of friends.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.


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President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.

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