Procession For Fallen Firefighters Winds Through Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — On Thursday, a procession escorted the bodies of Cal Fire Assistant Chief Joshua Bischof, 46, of Menifee, and Capt. Timothy Rodriguez Jr., 44, of San Jacinto, from the coroner's office in Perris to a Menifee mortuary.

Along with helicopter pilot Tony Sousa, 55, of Red Bluff, the men died Sunday when their helicopter crashed following a mid-air collision with another chopper.

Sousa will have a separate procession at a later date, according to Cal Fire officials.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department personnel took part in Thursday's procession, along with representatives of other first responder agencies.

The procession began at the coroner's office, 800 S. Redlands Ave., Perris, and headed south on Redlands, west on Ellis Avenue, east on Case Road, south on Murrieta Road, east on Ethanac Road, south on Encanto Drive, and ended at Evans Brown Mortuary at 27010 Encanto Drive in Menifee.

The public was invited to line the procession route to pay tribute to the firefighters, who died while helping battle a wildfire in the Cabazon area.

Details on memorial services have not yet been finalized.

"To the families of our fallen heroes, we extend our deepest sympathies," a statement from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department read Thursday. "The entire fire service community stands with you in your sorrow. We thank our community for the outpouring of grief, love, and support as we navigate this heartbreaking event."

President Joe Biden offered condolences Tuesday to those impacted by the deaths.

"Every day, firefighters run toward danger, while everyone else runs the other way, because being a firefighter is not what they do — it's who they are," according to statement by Biden released by the White House. "This tragedy is yet another example of their incredible bravery. As wildfires have intensified in recent years, more and more firefighters have put themselves in harm's way to defend our families and communities from out-of-control fires.

"... We owe it to our firefighters and their families to do everything we can to prevent these dangerous fires in the first place," the president continued. "Three families of three brave Americans have an empty seat around the dinner table tonight, and our hearts go out to them."

The men were fatally injured in the collision and fire just before 7 p.m. Sunday in the area of Pipeline Road and Apache Trail.

The victims were aboard a Bell 407 that collided with a Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane making water drops over the "Broadway Fire," which was held to 20 acres on a barren hillside. The two occupants of the Sikorsky were not hurt and landed without incident.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Eleazar Nepomuceno held a news briefing in Cabazon Monday, saying a team consisting of two NTSB investigators, a Federal Aviation Administration representative and personnel from the helicopter manufacturers, Bell and Sikorsky, were gathering preliminary information on the midair collision.

"They were on a convergence flight, and they impacted," Nepomuceno said of the choppers. "Our plan is to document the wreckage before it is relocated to (a secure hangar) in Arizona."

He said a "drone team," utilizing remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles would be surveying the crash site Tuesday.

Nepomuceno emphasized the immediate objective is to procure "perishable" evidence that will vanish once the wreckage is removed and the site is cleaned up.

Federal investigators are encouraging anyone who might have information to contact them at witness@ntsb.gov.

The Bell helicopter crew was coordinating air operations over the fire. The chopper went down on a hillside, causing a four-acre blaze that was quickly knocked down, according to Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Dave Fulcher.

Nepomuceno said there was "minor damage" to the Skycrane, which was dispatched to the area two months ago for the duration of Southern California Wildfire Season.

It was not immediately clear why the choppers were not positioned at safer distances or altitudes.

Cabazon lies within the San Gorgonio Pass, with arching terrain both north and south, limiting maneuverability.

The two helicopters were among a half-dozen aircraft sent to the blaze, Fulcher said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom extended "heartfelt sympathies" Monday, saying the "terrible tragedy is a reminder of the dangers our courageous firefighters face daily while working to keep our communities safe."

"It is a horrible tragedy when those who serve the community do not return home to their families," Supervisor Manuel Perez, whose Fourth District encompasses Cabazon, said. "I pray for their families and the rest of the Riverside County Fire Department."

Agencies throughout the region expressed sorrow. Murrieta Fire & Rescue posted to social media, sending "deepest condolences" to the family, friends and colleagues of the fallen crew.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with you," the agency said.

From the Palm Springs Fire Department: "Our heartfelt condolences for the line-of-duty deaths of two Cal Fire firefighters and a contract pilot. This tragedy has left us deeply shaken and mourning the loss of our brave colleagues."

The Orange County Fire Authority posted a message offering condolences. "Our hearts are with our Cal Fire family and all the loved ones, friends and colleagues impacted by this tragic loss," the agency said.

The NTSB's preliminary report on the accident is expected to be published before the end of the month, while the final report could take up to two years to complete.

—Patch Editor Toni McAllister and City News Service contributed to this report.