Local News
Victims killed in Bath Township plane crash identified
BATH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (Clinton County) — Authorities have confirmed that a private jet registered in Mexico crashed Thursday afternoon in Bath Township, Michigan, killing all three people on board.
The aircraft, a Hawker 800XP with Mexican registration XA-JMR, is reportedly owned by Aero Línea del Centro, S.A. de C.V., a company based in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and believed to be affiliated with the JM Romo Group.
According to initial flight data, the plane took off from Kalamazoo, Michigan, bound for Detroit, but within one minute of departure, it plummeted from an altitude of 14,825 feet, crashing violently into a wooded area along Clark Road between Peacock and Upton Roads in Bath Township.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing a column of smoke visible for several miles.
Emergency responders from Bath Township Fire and Police, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, and Michigan State Police rushed to the scene, where they discovered the wreckage completely destroyed by impact and fire.
The medical examiner’s office serving Clinton County, identified the victims as Rodolfo Pimentel Zamora and Francisco Javier del Moral Jimenez, both pilots from Mexico City, and Alvaro Espejo Rodriguez, a mechanic from Veracruz.
Michigan State Police were the first to arrive at the crash site, quickly securing the area and coordinating with federal aviation authorities.
A police helicopter was observed circling the crash zone to assist ground units in recovery and scene management.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified and are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Preliminary data suggests a rapid and unexplained descent lasting approximately 30 seconds before impact.
Reports from Aguascalientes, Mexico, indicate that the crash has caused deep shock and sorrow within the local aviation and business communities.
The JM Romo Group, reportedly linked to the aircraft, has not issued an official statement.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The identities of the victims will be formally confirmed and released once next of kin have been notified.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — 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 Coroner’s 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 Coroner’s 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 Rodriguez’s 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 Rodriguez’s 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.