‘Their last adventure’: Calif. fire engineer and young sons among 5 killed in crash

A Northern California fire engineer and her two young sons were among five people killed in a head-on crash in Shasta County earlier this month, reports said.

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The mother, April Moon, was identified by the Yurok Tribe and the Yurok Fire Department in a Facebook post, where she was described as a courageous firefighter and beloved community member. Her two children, ages 5 and 6, were also identified as killed in the Sept. 19 crash in an obituary published by the Lost Coast Outpost.

Moon and her sons were on their “last adventure” to Rare Air Trampoline Park in Redding when the collision occurred, according to the obituary. 

The crash happened on Highway 299 east of Whiskey Creek Road in Shasta County when a car traveling west crossed the solid double yellow lines and collided with another car traveling east, SFGATE previously reported. Two other people who died in the crash were identified as 52-year-old Anderson resident Sharlene Black and 19-year-old Redding resident Mason Baker, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. A sixth person in the crash was injured, but the sheriff’s office did not release their name.

Although Moon and children were identified by loved ones and fire authorities, Timothy Mapes, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told SFGATE that the names of three remaining people killed in the crash had not been publicly released as of Tuesday afternoon. 

Moon worked for the Yurok Fire Department and started her career there in 2023, according to the Yurok Tribe. She was described as a “top performer” who was eventually promoted to an engineer and on track to become a captain before the end of 2027, the tribe said. 

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Moon was often deployed to various regions throughout the country to help with wildfires, such as the Castaic Fire in Southern California, the tribe said. When wildfires weren’t active, Moon helped protect the area of Yurok, where she lived, creating defensible space around 50 homes.

Members of the Yurok Fire Department were granted one week of administrative leave following her death. 

“April’s discipline, attention to detail and dedication to service made her an exceptional firefighter. She was always well-organized and ready to give it her all. She also made sure everyone had what they needed to succeed,” Yurok Fire Chief Rod Mendes said in the Facebook post. 

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the deadly crash, and anyone with information about the crash is encouraged to contact the agency’s Redding office at 530-225-0500.