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A woman was killed and five others were injured when a small plane crashed into a vehicle on the 15 Freeway near Fallbrook in San Diego County Saturday morning, according to CHP and reports.

A plane crashed into the 15 Freeway in San Diego County, killing 1 and leaving 5 others injured on April 2, 2016. (Credit: Robert Burns / KSWB)
A plane crashed into the 15 Freeway in San Diego County, killing 1 and leaving 5 others injured on April 2, 2016. (Credit: Robert Burns / KSWB)

The crash occurred about 9:15 a.m. on the northbound 15 north of State Route 76, the California Highway Patrol’s incident log stated. A witness reported that the aircraft — which was initially described as a small jet — “landed” on the vehicle.

Two people were in the aircraft and four occupants were in the car, according to the log.

Antoinette Frances Isbelle, a 38-year-old San Diego County resident who was in the backseat of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene, KTLA sister station KSWB reported, citing a spokesman for the North County Fire Protection District.

Isbelle and the three others in the sedan were local roller-derby athletes who were on their way to a match at the time of the incident, according to KSWB.

“It is with great sadness and shock that we have to announce our league-mate Toni ‘Rockalicious’ Isbelle has passed away after a plane hit the back of the car she was a passenger in,” San Diego Roller Derby said in a statement. “We are still processing and grieving at this time and we thank you for your condolences.”

After Isbelle’s death, a GoFundMe fundraiser was launched “so we can honor her life in the way she deserves,” according to a statement on the website.

Antoinette Isbelle is seen in a photo published on a GoFundMe page after her death on April 2, 2016.
Antoinette Isbelle is seen in a photo published on a GoFundMe page after her death on April 2, 2016.

Five people were injured and taken to local hospitals, including the 62-year-old pilot who had life-threatening injuries, KSWB reported.

A CHP spokesman identified the pilot as Dennis Hogge, a resident of Jamul, according to the TV station. A witness’s video shows good Samaritans removing the injured man from the wreckage of the plane.

The aircraft’s 50-year-old female passenger was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening, KSWB reported, adding that she underwent surgery.

Another witness, Jim Jenkins, said he was clearing weeds on a nearby model-airplane airfield when the fatal crash took place.

“It looked like that person was going to try to come in, for like maybe a belly landing here on the grass,” he said. “But I think once he realized the power poles and then the people that were out here, he ended up tipping back away towards the freeway.”

A SigAlert was issued shortly after the crash, and the Nos. 3 and 4 lanes were shut down for an undetermined amount of time. The No. 3 lane was reopened just before 1 p.m., but the other remained closed.

A “long term traffic problem” was expected on the freeway in both directions as a result of the crash, fire officials said. The department urged motorists to avoid the area.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators were responding to the scene, according to CHP.

Correction: A previous version of this article erroneously stated the pilot’s age. The post has been updated.

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