7 Church Members Killed in Crash Celebrated as Martyrs

They were celebrated as martyrs, devout women who died while trying to start a new branch of their evangelical church in Northern California.

Late Thursday, they were driving on U. S. 101 through the dry hills around Atascadero when their van veered off an embankment.

As the van rolled and then lurched to a stop, seven members of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church in Eagle Rock were killed. Seven others survived, and four--all San Fernando Valley residents--remain hospitalized; two are in critical condition.

Sunday, about 130 people, including family and friends, came to the church to memorialize the dead, but, holding to their faith, rejoiced that the victims had moved to “God’s kingdom.”

“It was an overwhelming feeling suddenly losing these people,” said Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the church. “It is an honorable death. It is a death that will bring rewards in eternal life.”

Family members agreed.

Fred Razon was sitting in the front seat of the van when his wife, Juliet, appeared to lose control of the vehicle, he said.

After the accident, “I tried to revive her, but I couldn’t do it,” he said.

But Razon’s lamentation quickly turned into the rousing, upbeat gospel that set the tone for much of the ceremony.

“I rejoice!” he shouted. “I bought her those nice clothes and everything, preparing her for something big [on Thursday].”

Willy Almilla, 36, who was sitting in the back seat, tried to describe what happened. He said the group was cracking jokes, laughing and generally happy about starting the new church in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco.

“Then the van started moving to the left and right,” he said. “Sister Juliet was trying to control it.”

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He said she seemed to overcompensate for the swerving and veered across a 40-foot median, across the southbound lanes and down an embankment. When the van stopped rolling, the people who had been sitting in the middle seat were gone, thrown outside into the weeds, Almilla said. Next to him, a 66-year-old man was strapped into his seat, unconscious.

In front, he could hear Juliet Razon gasping for air while her husband tried to take off her seat belt and hug her.

“Outside, a little girl was crying, ‘Mommy, Mommy,’ ” he said. He got out and carried the 5-year-old, Aretha Fike of North Hollywood, to her mother, who had survived as well.

“I just can’t understand what happened,” Almilla said.

Fike, one of four Valley residents hospitalized after the accident, is in good condition at a Santa Barbara hospital.

William Duque, 36, of North Hollywood and Juanita Reyes, 55, of Canoga Park are in critical condition at a hospital in San Luis Obispo, and Leu Leonardo Lozado, 66, of North Hollywood is in stable condition at an Atascadero hospital.

Tessie Dannan, whose sister Merlin died, was awakened in the early morning by a phone call. She said she was shocked at the terrible news but comforted by the circumstances.

“I’m so very happy that she died in the line of duty,” she said.

Tessie said her 34-year-old sister worked for the church for two decades in the Philippines and moved to Eagle Rock in December to continue that work.

Few personal details about those who died were shared with the congregation at the three-hour service. Loved ones who spoke generally recalled family members’ devotion to the church.

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Under the fluorescent lights in a nondescript building along Eagle Rock Boulevard, they sang Pentecostal songs and raised their arms in prayer. Toward the end of the service, Quiboloy invited family members to come to the front where they hugged and broke into sobs.

“My mom is not here any more,” the daughter of one victim said. “But she’s in a safe place.”

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Times correspondent Sally Ann Connell contributed to this story.