Local News
Victims killed in Mesa plane crash identified
A tragic plane crash in Mesa, Arizona, on Tuesday evening claimed the lives of five people, including a 12-year-old boy, as a private plane bound for Provo, Utah, crashed shortly after takeoff from Falcon Field Airport.
The group had been traveling to attend a Brigham Young University basketball game in Provo.
Video captured at the crash site shows the plane engulfed in flames on a nearby road after veering off the runway.
Investigators report that the aircraft, carrying five people, lost control moments after takeoff.
Tragically, the plane collided with a vehicle, killing the driver instantly, along with four passengers aboard the aircraft.
An 18-year-old male on the plane survived the crash and is currently hospitalized in stable condition.
On Wednesday, Mesa Police released the identities of the four passengers who perished on the plane:
- Spencer Lindahl, 43
- Rustin Randall, 48
- Drew Kimball, 44
- Graham Kimball, 12
The name of the individual killed in the car has not yet been disclosed. The plane was owned by Spencer Lindahl, who was originally from Utah, as confirmed by his family.
Lindahlโs son, who also survived the crash, is now in stable condition. Lindahl leaves behind his wife and four children, and his family is mourning what they describe as a devastating loss of a loving husband and dedicated father.
Lindahl, who co-owned a successful property management business in Arizona, was known for his strong family values and commitment to his community.
His family shared that Lindahlโs 20-year-old daughter, who had just returned from an 18-month mission trip to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, arrived back in Arizona on Wednesday morning, missing the chance to reunite with her father by less than a day.
Lindahlโs business partner, Rustin Randall, who was also killed in the crash, leaves behind his wife and four children.
The Lindahl and Randall families, as well as the Kimball family, are in deep mourning and have asked for privacy and support during this difficult time.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at UrbanaโChampaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. โ A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coronerโs Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coronerโs Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguezโs death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguezโs death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.