PERRIS: Canadian skydiver who died after crashing onto home’s roof during competition ID’d

UPDATED: Thursday, Jan. 25, 8:40 p.m.

PERRIS — Officials have identified a Canadian man who died after crashing onto the roof of a Perris home while participating in a multiple-day long wingsuit competition earlier this week.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s officials identified 27-year-old, Aime-Jean St. Hilaire-Adam, as the victim killed in the fatal skydiving accident. According to an official coroner’s release, the victim was pronounced deceased at 3:25 p.m., almost 30 minutes after the accident was reported.

According to UK’s DailyMail, St. Hilaire-Adam was an “elite skydive competitor” with more than 1,000 successful jumps under his belt.

Although St. Hilaire-Adam was visiting the US from Calgary, Canada, it was not immediately known if he had traveled to the Riverside County area specifically for the Wide Open Wingsuit Series competition he was participating in when he was killed. Before moving to Calgary, the victim was originally from Ripon, in western Quebec.

According to some witnesses and reported by Patch, SFGate and CBCNews in Calgary, St. Claire-Adam was believed to have been knocked unconscious after being involved in a mid-air collision with another wingsuit-wearing skydiver during a group jump – reportedly the last jump of the day’s scheduled events.

Despite multiple requests for confirmation from competition organizers, Skydive Perris and airport officials, that information has not been publicly announced or officially confirmed.

The deadly accident is still being investigated by Sheriff’s, NTSB and FAA officials and their investigation is active and ongoing.

 

PERRIS — Officials are investigating the death of a skydiver after the victim reportedly crashed onto the roof of a home, Monday afternoon, Jan. 22. The deadly accident happened on the 200 block of Caldera Street in Perris, just two miles south of Perris Valley Airport.

The tragedy occurred during Wide Open Wingsuit Series’ 5-day-long wingsuit competition happening at the regional airport’s Skydive Perris from Jan. 19-23. It was not immediately known if the victim was participating in the competition or some other activity or event at the popular and world-renowned skydiving spot.

SEE ALSO: Perris skydiver survives parachute malfunction

SEE ALSO: Plane smashes into fuel tanker in Perris Valley Airport crash

Officials ares still working to determined what caused the fatal fall; however, according to witnesses at the scene, the skydiver’s primary parachute never opened and was visible in the victim’s backpack. What appeared to be the skydiver’s orange emergency chute could be seen on the rooftop.

One area resident and witness later reported to officials that as the skydiver came down, his head was slumped against his chest and he did not appear to be conscious, but it was not yet known if the victim suffered a medical emergency or mid-air collision during the high-speed, head-to-head competition.

Emergency first responders rushed to the scene of the fatal accident just before 3 p.m., Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire spokesperson April Newman explained in an incident report.

Officials did not specify if the homeowner or another person reported hearing or seeing the skydiving accident or if the crash was reported by attendees and/or participants of the airport’s competition.

When they arrived at the scene, paramedics and deputies eventually used a ladder to scramble onto the roof of the single-story home where they found the mortally injured victim. At 3:32 p.m., Newman updated that officials at the scene had determined the skydiver succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Officials have not released the victim’s name, pending further investigation and notification of the person’s family.

Officials requested a ladder truck to the scene to assist with access to the roof so the skydiver’s body could be carried down off the roof on a stretcher.

Officials have not stated if the home’s roof was damaged in the accident, but no other injuries were reported.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the cause of the deadly accident.

Wide Open Wingsuit Series video

Tragic scene where a #skydiver lost their life after a primary parachute failed to deploy, crashing onto a rooftop of home near the #PerrisValleyAirport @ABC7 #Air7HD pic.twitter.com/CMoTIiDDIo

— J.T. Alpaugh (@ABC7JT) January 23, 2018

This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.