CHATSWORTH, CA. (THECOUNT) — The family of Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a 29-year-old man from Guatemala killed on the ground when a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles County, is speaking out after the deadly incident claimed three lives Tuesday evening.
“Pichi” Mejia had reportedly arrived in Los Angeles from his home country of Guatemala earlier that day. His family told Spanish-language television station KMEX that he was visiting Southern California for approximately two days to purchase cars for business purposes.
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“He was very playful, he liked to tell jokes and make people laugh,” relatives told KMEX.
Mejia, who was from Cuilapa, Guatemala, was standing near a car by a local storage facility when the helicopter went down between two commercial buildings, according to reports.
Family friend Daniel Castillo described Mejia as a cheerful, hardworking person who was always willing to help others.
“He was a cheerful person, someone who was always there for those who needed him,” Castillo told KVEA. “He was always a dynamic, hardworking young man, and today we sadly woke up to the sad news of his passing in this accident that occurred in the US.”
Mejia’s hometown of Cuilapa also shared a tribute on social media, posting a photograph of the 29-year-old and offering condolences to his family.
“The Municipality of Cuilapa and the Mayor, Mrs. Alcaldesa, mourn the tragic passing of the young man Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejia, better known as ‘Pichi,’ whose soul has now rest in peace,” the statement read in Spanish.
The municipality also offered prayers for Mejia’s eternal rest and asked for patience and strength for his loved ones during the grieving process.
The Los Angeles Fire Department previously reported that the helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings near 9151 N. Mason Ave. in Chatsworth, a community in the San Fernando Valley approximately 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter AS350. In a preliminary statement, the FAA said the helicopter crashed in Chatsworth at approximately 8 p.m. local time Tuesday, September 15.
“Two people were on board,” the FAA said. “Going forward, the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.”
The two people aboard the helicopter were identified as reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. The KNBC news team confirmed their deaths shortly after the crash.
Mejia was identified as the third victim by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner.
Investigators have not announced what caused the helicopter to crash. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are expected to examine the aircraft, flight operations and circumstances leading up to the collision.
The crash occurred in a commercial area of Chatsworth, where the helicopter came down between buildings and struck the ground. The investigation remains active, and additional details about the flight and the victims’ final moments had not been released in the initial reporting.
Chatsworth is located in Los Angeles County in the San Fernando Valley region of Southern California, within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.
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