Temecula fighter pilot killed in crash honored by Gov. Newsom

A U.S. Air Force pilot from Temecula who was killed during a training mission on the East Coast was saluted Friday, July 3, by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who ordered flags statewide to be flown at half-staff in memory of the aviator.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. David Schmitz, 32, died Tuesday, June 30, when the F-16C Fighting Falcon he was flying crashed at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

Schmitz was on a night training flight, but few details were available regarding the accident.

"Our condolences go out to the Schmidt family, to the Gamblers and to all of Team Shaw," Col. Lawrence T. Su...