Janelle Gonzalez, BHS 1991

Janelle Gonzalez, BHS 1991 

My best friend, Janelle Gonzalez, class of 1991, passed away January 14, 2021 from an aneurysm. She suffered a cardiac aneurysm while in the hospital for an unknown illness. 

She is survived by both of her parents, Nick and Loyda, by her only child, Alana and her fiancé Eddie. 

She is greatly missed.  No other details at this time.

Posted on Facebook By Yvette Renee

Douglas Kevin Hovey, BHS 1991

BHS Sophomore Photo

Douglas Kevin Hovey, BHS 1991

Douglas was born on March 16, 1973 in Los Angeles County, California and passed away on August 19, 1996 in Burbank, California. 

According to his mother Nancy Hovey her son loved all people and was kind to all who knew and or met him.  World's greatest son.  Was one of the editors for the Burbank High School newspaper.  Interviewed Tim Burton for the newspaper.  Wanted to become a producer someday.

Interment was at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California. No other details at this time.

Gina Marie Sanchez, BHS 1991

Gina Sanchez, BHS 1991
December 19, 1972 - August 19, 1989

In the 1990 Burbank High Yearbook there was a memorial page in memory of Gina Sanchez. She was just 16 years old and a sophomore. It read as follows: 

Gina Sanchez, a past student of John Muir and Burbank High School, was a victim of a drunk-driving car accident this past August. There was no chance for good-byes as she died instantly. Since that moment, many people have realized how precious life really is. Gina is missed, loved, and will always be remembered for everything she was. All we can do now is cherish her memories and hold them in our heart.

Andrew Avazian, BHS 1991

Andrew Avazian, BHS 1991

It is with great sadness to report the sudden death of Andrew Avazian who passed away in his sleep on September 6, 2016 due to Cause A - HYPERTROPHIC HEART DISEASE.

He graduated from Burbank High School with the class of 1991. He was a big Oakland Raiders fan.

He wants to be buried next to his mother and the family is trying to raise the money. They have set up a Go Fund Me page for his funeral expenses. No other details at this time.

Chadd Bryce Mitchell, BHS 1991

Chadd Bryce Mitchell, BHS 1991

Chadd Bryce Mitchell, 34, of Goldendale, died Aug. 25, 2007, in Wasco, Ore., from a tragic windmill collapse. He was born Nov. 16, 1972, in Glendale, Calif., to Jerry and Gail Wolfe Mitchell.Chadd grew up in Southern California, and has lived in Goldendale for the past 14 years.

He was a member of Ducks Unlimited and the local bow hunting club, he enjoyed golfing, 4-wheeling and camping.Chadd was currently running for Position 1 Hospital Commissioner in Goldendale.

Survivors include the love of his life, his wife, Tana, of Goldendale; father and step-mother, Jerry and Candie Mitchell, of Valencia, Calif.; mother, Gail Eikanas, of Yakima; daughters, Kayla Mitchell, age 15, of Gilbert, Ariz., and McKinley Mitchell, age 4, of Goldendale; brother, Bradd Mitchell, of Temecula, Calif.; two sisters, April Grant, of Ellensburg, and Jessica Frankovic, of Yakima; step-sister, Mona Mitchell, of Valencia, Calif.

Viewing will be held on Thursday, Aug. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Columbia Hills Memorial Chapel.A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, Aug. 31, at 3 p.m. at the New Life Assembly of God Church, with Ken Akins officiating.A gathering of friends and family will be held at the Goldendale Grange immediately following the service.A private family burial will be held at the Mt. View Cemetery.

Authorities identify victim of wind turbine accident as 34-year-old Goldendale, Wash., man

Published: Monday, August 27, 2007
Noelle Crombie, The Oregonian

Sherman County authorities have identified the victim of Saturday's wind turbine accident as Chadd B. Mitchell, a 34-year-old Goldendale, Wash., man.

Sheriff Brad Lohrey said Mitchell worked for the turbine's German manufacturer, Siemens. Winds at the time of the accident were about 25 mph, Lohrey said.

Mitchell died when a wind turbine on the not-yet-opened Klondike III wind farm east of the town of Wasco snapped in half. A second worker, Bill Trossen, of Minnesota, was inside the 242-foot-tall shaft. He was taken to an area hospital and was later released. Trossen's age and hometown were not available Monday morning.

The turbine broke about 4 p.m. Saturday a little more than halfway up the nearly hollow tube that holds the blades, said Geremy Shull, a Sherman County sheriff's deputy. The men were maintenance technicians, he said.

It was the first death associated with a wind turbine collapse in Oregon. While fire, ice and storms can damage turbines, they rarely fall over.
Last year, a wind gust bent and twisted a similar tower at the Condon Wind Project, a joint venture in Gilliam County between SeaWest Windpower of San Diego and Bonneville Power Administration, in operation since 2002. No one was injured in that case.

Hundreds of the turbines are going up in wheat fields and other windy areas of Oregon and Washington. This year alone, Oregon developers are on track to more than double the wind power generated by turbines in the Columbia River Gorge. The construction boom is expected to continue through 2008 or longer if Congress extends a federal tax credit.

Siemens fined $10,500 for wind turbine tower collapse that killed worker
Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Shelby Wood, The Oregonian

The state has fined Siemens Power Generation $10,500 for safety violations related to the Aug. 25 collapse of a wind turbine tower in Sherman County that killed one worker and injured another.

The 6-month investigation by the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division found that Siemens failed to properly instruct and supervise workers in the safe operation of tools and equipment. It also found that company procedures for working under potentially dangerous conditions fell short of OSHA regulations.

The investigation did not find any structural problems with the tower itself.
"The tragedy was the result of a system that allowed the operator to restart the turbine after service while the blades were locked in a hazardous position," said Michael Wood, OSHA administrator.

The event occurred at the Klondike III wind farm near Wasco where three workers were performing maintenance on one of the turbine towers. Turbine blades positioned flat to the wind were released before other measures were followed, creating an "overspeed" condition that caused one of the blades to strike the tower. The tower then buckled and collapsed.

Chadd Mitchell, who was working at the top of the tower, died in the collapse. William Trossen, who was on his way down a ladder inside the turbine, was injured. The third worker was outside the tower and was unharmed.

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer & Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules.

Parents of technician killed in Sherman County wind-turbine collapse file suit
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Aimee Green, The Oregonian

The parents of a 34-year-old technician who died when the 230-foot wind-turbine tower he was in collapsed to the ground in a Sherman County wheat field is suing for $7 million. In their lawsuit, Gail Eikanas and Jerry Mitchell fault the Danish turbine maker Siemens Wind Power A/S, the Klondike Wind Farms III and owners PPM Energy, among others. Their son, Chadd Mitchell, died in August 2007. He was the father of two.

The suit was filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. According to the suit, the wind turbine's rotor went into "overspeed," causing the structure to crash to the ground and crush Mitchell. In early 2008, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division fined Siemens Power Generation $10,500 for safety violations, after a six-month investigation. The agency found that Siemens didn't properly train or supervise the employees on the job, and that

Mitchell and another worker had less than two months of experience and were working without a supervisor. Siemens disagreed with the findings of safety violations, and appealed the findings. It's not clear what the outcome of that appeal was.

Douglas Kratz, BHS 1991

Douglas Kratz, BHS 1991

Douglas Kratz, a director of video production for Virgin Records. He was 28 years old. When he passed, Virgin released this statement about him: "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Virgin staff member Doug Kratz. Doug was an extremely dedicated and talented professional, whose enthusiasm, energy and spirit will be missed by everyone who worked alongside him everyday."

R&B SINGER, ACTRESS AALIYAH, 8 OTHERS DIE IN CRASH
Redding Record Searchlight (CA) - Monday, August 27, 2001
Author: Record Searchlight

MARSH HARBOUR, Bahamas (AP) -- Investigators waded through smoldering Bahamian swampland Sunday, carting off sand-covered luggage and hunting for an explanation for the plane crash that killed young R&B star Aaliyah and eight others. The Cessna carrying Aaliyah and her party plummeted to earth in perfect weather Saturday afternoon soon after takeoff for Florida. A day later, investigators had few answers about what could have caused the crash.

Police Superintendent Basil Rahming said only that one of the Cessna's engines apparently failed. Aaliyah, who at age 22 already had two Grammy nominations, a platinum album and several high-profile acting credits under her belt, was killed instantly. Five others on board also died at the scene, while three more died later of their injuries, Rahming said.

A native of New York City and resident of Detroit, Aaliyah had deep roots in the R&B community. Saturday's crash left fans, friends and colleagues in mourning. She was like one of my daughters, she was one of the sweetest girls in the world, said Grammy-winning producer, arranger and composer Quincy Jones. She vacationed with me and my family together in Fiji. I loved her and respected her and I am absolutely devastated. Aaliyah and the others in her party had come to the Bahamas to shoot a music video, authorities said.

Their plane was bound for Opalocka, Fla., in perfect weather when it went down on Abaco Island, roughly 200 feet from the end of the runway at Marsh Harbour airport. On Sunday, the Cessna's nose section was lying about 20 yards from the rest of the battered fuselage, and luggage and pieces of the plane were scattered about, covered in sand. Abaco Island Chief Councilor Silbert Mills said he was at the airport 100 miles north of Nassau when the plane took off and then crashed. He said he helped rescue the injured. I pulled one from the aircraft, and he was screaming, Mills said. He said he was in a lot of pain.

Police identified the other passengers killed as Scott Gallin, 41; Keith Wallace, 49, of Los Angeles; Douglas Kratz , 28, a representative for Virgin Records, and makeup artist Eric Foreman, 29, both of Hollywood; Gina Smith, 29, also of Hollywood; Anthony Dodd, 34, of Los Angeles; and Christopher Maldonado, 32, of New Jersey. The plane's pilot, identified only as L. Maradel, also died.

Police were relying on handwritten cards filled out before the flight and were not sure about the spellings of the victims' names and did not have everyone's hometowns, said Assistant Superintendent Leland Russell. A team of investigators from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will join the investigation today, said NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz.

The bodies were taken to the morgue at Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau, where they were to be kept for relatives to help identify them, U.S. Embassy spokesman Brian Bachman said. Some were badly burned in the crash, authorities said. Virgin Records offered to pay for the relatives to come, Bachman said. The company also was considering bringing the bodies to Miami to be met by family members there, but no arrangements have yet been made, he said.

The Cessna 402 was owned by Skystream, a company based in Pembroke Pines, Fla., said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Atlanta. The company's telephone number was not listed, and company officials could not immediately be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Wichita, Kan.-based Cessna, Marilyn Richwine, said she was not aware of any safety problems with the twin-engine 402 model. The company has not manufactured that model for about 12 to 15 years, she said.