A candlelight vigil will probably be held Wednesday evening for 3 sisters and their mom, who had been tragically killed together with two shut household associates on July 12 as they had been driving residence to Southern California from Texas.
The vigil for Karly Perez, 42, of Banning and her three daughters, Olivia, 12, Emalynn, 11, and Giana, 8, is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Centennial Park in Menifee, in accordance with native information experiences. The park is the place the ladies performed softball. The younger athletes had been celebrated in a Fb submit from Menifee Women Softball.
Mates Heather Ventura, left, and Karly Perez clown round (inset) as Lucas Tejada, left, Giana Perez (behind Lucas), Emalynn Perez, Olivia Perez, and Ventura’s stepdaughter, Alyssa, meet at a restaurant.
(Nick Ventura)
“Shy in nature, all three ladies got here to life on the softball subject as they had been surrounded by household, associates, and teammates on each side of the fence,” the social media submit learn. “They are going to be deeply missed by everybody.”
The deadly crash additionally claimed the lifetime of Perez’s buddy Heather Ventura, 37, of Upland and her 13-year-old son, Lucas Tejada, in accordance with the Pima County, Ariz., medical expert.
Nick Ventura informed The Occasions that his sister and Perez had been greatest associates for greater than 10 years and supported one another as in the event that they had been sisters, coordinating every time they wanted to take the youngsters to high school or sporting occasions.
“They had been a household unit,” Ventura mentioned. “It was such a ravishing factor.”
Ventura mentioned his nephew aspired to be a chef and was a fan of British movie star chef Gordon Ramsay, a lot in order that he traveled together with his mom to strive the meat Wellington at Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen in San Diego County. A photograph of Lucas exhibits him in entrance of a kitchen range, sporting a Hell’s Kitchen chef jacket and smiling.
Lucas Tejada was a fan of chef Gordon Ramsay.
(Nick Ventura)
“However he was additionally a standard child who favored taking part in video video games,” Ventura mentioned.
He mentioned he purchased a gaming system in the course of the top of the COVID-19 pandemic so he and Lucas might play collectively.
Ventura mentioned the 2 households had pushed to Texas to go to Heather’s stepdaughter, Alyssa, who was additionally very near all the youngsters. They had been coming back from the journey once they had been concerned within the deadly crash.
The tragic accident occurred on the afternoon of July 12 on the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 at milepost 33 close to Quartzsite, Ariz., in accordance with a press release from Bart Graves, spokesman for the Arizona Division of Public Security.
Graves mentioned a Ford F-550 stake mattress truck was touring westbound within the No. 1 lane when it did not gradual for site visitors that had come to a cease for a freeway paving challenge.
“Consequently, the Ford truck collided with the rear of a Chevrolet Traverse carrying six individuals,” Graves mentioned. “The Traverse was pushed right into a jeep passenger car, then into two different automobiles.”
He mentioned the primary three automobiles concerned within the crash caught hearth. Occupants of the Chevrolet Traverse, which included Perez and her three daughters, had been declared lifeless on the scene.
Graves mentioned the driving force of the Ford truck was not injured.
“He was not cited on the time, though we’re consulting with the La Paz County Legal professional’s Workplace concerning potential costs,” he mentioned.
Kasandra Tunchez, the ladies’ aunt, informed KTLA that her nieces had been sensible and respectful.
“These had been the celebs in our world,” she mentioned. “Now they’re gone and all we now have is recollections.”
Tunchez mentioned the household had come collectively to assist her brother, Vincente Perez, as he grieves the lack of his spouse and youngsters.
