Former Marine, mother of 4 victims in fatal crash

FALLBROOK

The victims of a solo-vehicle crash near Fallbrook last weekend were identified this week as a 42year-old former Marine from Fallbrook and a 39-year-old mother of four from Oceanside.

Rico Burley was driving and April Dawn Wigand was his passenger when their car plummeted down a ravine off Old Highway 395 near Reche Road about 2:10 p.m. Sunday, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Burley was driving a 2005 Ford Mustang south on the two-lane highway when he crossed into the opposite lane in an attempt to pass other southbound vehicles, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office. But oncoming traffic apparently prompted Burley to swerve back into the southbound lane.

He lost control of the car, which left the highway, struck a tree and came to rest in a creek bed at the base of the ravine on the west side of the highway, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office and California Highway Patrol.

Both Burley and Wigand were thrown from the car and died at the scene, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.

A Gofundme account to help cover funeral costs for Wigand identified her as a mother of four children between 15 and 19 years old.

A Marine Corps official confirmed Wednesday that Burley served as a Marine from 1995 to 2007. According to his Linkedin page, Burley was also a graduate of Cal State San Marcos. A Gofundme for Burley identified him as a father of three boys between 7 and 13 and a youth sports coach in Fallbrook.

Fire crews used ropes to make their way up and down the steep, uneven 30-foot ravine to recover the bodies, North County Fire Protection District Capt. John Choi said Sunday. The Mustang, which was mangled, was pulled out of the ravine by a tow truck.

CHP Officer Kevin Smale said it was unknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, which remained under investigation.