Lake Elsinore, Calif. – Two licensed skydivers lost their lives Friday after a mid‑air collision caused their parachutes to become entangled during the final phase of a jump at Skydive Elsinore.
Victims identified
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as Georgia Jean, 56, of Box Elder, South Dakota, and Levi Pimentel, 29, of Aurora, Illinois. Jean founded the company Circle Evolution, a collaboration she described as a “conscious channel” with a non‑physical collective. She began skydiving in 2015 and logged more than 1,700 jumps. Pimentel served as a lead instructor at iFLY Naperville, an indoor skydiving facility.
Accident details
According to a statement from Skydive Elsinore, the free‑fall and parachute deployment proceeded normally. As the two skydivers prepared to land, they collided about 150 feet (approximately 46 meters) above the ground, causing their parachutes to become tangled. Both sustained critical injuries upon impact with the ground and were pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Response and investigation
The Riverside County Fire Department reported that the victims suffered traumatic injuries and were transported to a hospital in critical condition before being declared deceased. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified, and investigators will collect the parachutes and examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Skydiving safety context
The U.S. Parachute Association noted that in 2025 its members completed 3.47 million skydives, resulting in 16 fatalities. That year, 5.6 % of members reported injuries requiring medical treatment, most commonly ankle injuries during landings.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and the skydiving community is mourning the loss of two seasoned participants.
Original reporting: Capitol City Now (WTAX 1240 Springfield) — read the source article.
