Two Filipinas serving in US Army killed in California car crash
Brylyn Aroma (right) and Angelica Gacho (left) were killed in a car crash off the Devil’s Slide along California’s Highway 1. Photos from Brylyn Aroma, Angelica Gacho/Facebook
A car crash off the treacherous Devil’s Slide along California’s Highway 1 recently took the lives of two Filipinas and a military interpreter in the US Army.
The victims were identified as 36-year-old Brylyn Aroma from Fort Riley, Kansas, 28-year-old Angelica Gacho and 29-year-old Mohammad Noory, both from San Francisco. The three were killed July 26 after their gray sedan plummeted into a ravine near the Devil’s Slide, an area of steep seaside cliffs about 15 miles south of San Francisco.
The crash remains under investigation. Authorities are looking into what caused the car to plunge down the cliff and land on a rocky shoreline ending up partially submerged in the ocean.
California Highway Patrol told NBC they went to rescue the car crash victims after a report of a vehicle accident at Highway 1, south of Devil’s Slide before 11:30 a.m.
Rescuers from Cal Fire and Pacifica Fire also assisted with the search for the car and the passengers, which caused the closure of Highway 1 in both directions. It eventually opened before 3 p.m.
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Remembering the car crash victims
Fellow soldiers and friends mourned the loss of the two Filipinas and the third victim who were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Brylyn Andulan Aroma served in the US Army as a 68W combat medic specialist since July 2021 and had been assigned to Fort Riley KS since October 2022, holding the position of specialist.
She had earned many accolades, including the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
Photo from Brylyn Aroma/Facebook
Honoring Aroma and expressing his grief, Army spokesperson Jefferson Grimes said,, “We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Brylyn, a Big Red One Soldier, teammate, and friend.”
Angelica Gacho served as a communications specialist and a 92W water treatment specialist in the US Army from 2021 to 2023, earning several achievements including the Korea Defense Service Medal and the Army Achievement Medal and Overseas Service Ribbon.
Her partner, also serving in the US Army, Melvin Mitchell III expressed his love and heartfelt grief in a post, writing, “Angel, my love. Words cannot express how much I love you and what you mean to me. You were the greatest part of my day, my motivation, my safe place, and my peace. I truly have no idea how to move forward from here.”
One of her friends paid tribute to her on Facebook, writing, “You were an outstanding soldier and a caring friend. Having you around made my army life easier.”
The third victim of the car crash, Mohammad Noory, had worked as a US military interpreter in Afghanistan.
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