A skydiving instructor caught in a brief hurricane died Friday when he crashed into a field in Southern California.
A student who was doing a tandem skydive with the instructor also died after being hospitalized following the reported accident in Perris, a city in Riverside County, officials confirmed.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, which arrived at the scene, identified the deceased skydiving instructor as Devrey LaRiccia, 28, of Menifee.
On Thursday, a Riverside County Coroner’s Office spokesman told USA TODAY that the second skydiver died in the hospital two days later.
The coroner identified the victim as 28-year-old Kayla Black.
According to the sheriff, officers were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. to Skydive Perris, one of the “largest, most advanced and most respected drop zones in the world,” according to the company’s website.
The company is located in an area known for skydiving about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 80 miles north of San Diego.
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Two skydiving victims taken to hospital
At the scene, officers found both victims with serious injuries in an open field, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Both women were taken to a hospital, where LaRiccia died the same day, according to a coroner’s report.
The coroner’s spokesman said Black was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday.
Sheriff’s officials said no foul play was suspected in the case and notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is in charge of the investigation.
“The FAA is investigating the packaging of the main and reserve parachutes, as well as the pilot and aircraft flight rules,” an FAA spokesperson told USA TODAY on Thursday. “If the FAA does not find evidence of rule violations, it will defer further investigation of the accident to local law enforcement.”
The FAA spokesman said his agency was not responsible for determining the cause of the crash.
“The deceased instructor was a beloved member of our skydiving community,” skydiving manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld said in a statement to USA TODAY.
“The skydiving community is small and close-knit, and this tragic loss has deeply impacted the Skydive Perris community,” the statement continued. LaRiccia “lived her life to the fullest and inspired all of her colleagues. She was passionate about introducing others to the sport of skydiving. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of Devrey and the student.”
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“Your last jump of the day”
According to Freddie Chase, her partner of five years, LaRiccia worked for Skydive Perris and went to work “happy as ever” on the day she died.
Chase, who lives in Perris and met LaRiccia while skydiving, told USA TODAY that LaRiccia and her student were on their last jump of the day for a tandem skydive when they collided with a “dust devil” and fell to the ground.
“There was no malfunction, there was no incident with the aircraft, she turned her glider into final approach to land safely on the grass, as she has done hundreds of times,” said Chase, 32. “She noticed what we call in the industry ‘dust devils,’ little tornadoes that are dangerous in this sport.”
What are dust devils?
Dust devils are “a widespread wind phenomenon” that occurs worldwide, according to the National Weather Service.
The rapidly rotating wind is filled with dust created by intense surface heating and is generally smaller and less intense than a tornado, NWS said. They average about 500 to 1,000 feet in height and typically last only a few minutes before dissipating.
“An uncontrolled turn to the ground”
At a height of about 12 meters, Chase said, she managed to avoid one dust devil, “but she was hit by a second one.”
“When dust devils fly over grass, they become invisible because you can’t see any dust in the direction they fly,” Chase said. “This caused their canopy to roll uncontrollably to the ground.”
Chase said his partner was “unconscious but breathing” after the fall before being taken to hospital.
“She died when I got to the hospital,” Chase said.
“You were too perfect for this world”
In tribute to her, Chase wrote on Instagram: “Devrey Jane Lariccia…my ride or my death, my everything…you were too perfect for this world.”
“Saying goodbye to you now will forever be the hardest thing I will ever do in my life.”
A fundraiser launched by the family to cover LaRiccia’s funeral expenses had raised nearly $60,000 as of Thursday.
“Our family has been overwhelmed by the words of love and support from those who knew Devrey and those who only knew her briefly,” Marcelline LaRiccia of Maine, who started the fundraiser, wrote on the page. “We are doing the best we can as each moment passes. Blue skies and flying high.”
A separate fundraiser for Black had already raised over $33,000 by Wednesday afternoon.
“Kayla was a vibrant and loving woman whose spirit touched everyone she met,” wrote a Black family friend who created the page. “Her infectious smile and boundless enthusiasm for life brought joy to her family, friends and all who knew her.”
The post goes on to say that Black leaves behind her parents Bill and Gail Black, her brother Brandon Black and numerous friends.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @nataliealund.
