By admin 
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — The Yuma community is mourning the death of a well-known business owner who died alongside a passenger over the weekend in a high-speed boat crash on Lake Havasu.
Read more Judge sets trial date for defendant in Preston Lord’s death
Charles “Chip” Romer, owner of Romer Beverage Company, and Jennifer Luzzi died Saturday night when their boat crashed, according to investigators.
Authorities reported that the 36-foot, high-performance boat was speeding when it crashed into a rocky peninsula. The impact launched the boat into the air, flipping it upside down before it landed on dry ground inside a remote campsite.
Emergency responders from the San Bernardino County and Lake Havasu City fire departments rushed to the scene to assist, but both occupants were pronounced dead.
Friends and residents in Yuma remembered Romer as a humble, generous leader who supported communities throughout Arizona.
Javier Gonzalez, who met Romer in 2013 while working next door at a motorsports shop, said Romer quickly became both a close friend and a mentor.
“Somebody who made a huge impression on my life,” Gonzalez said. “As soon as I found out that he had passed … I just saw the name; I saw Chip, and I saw Romer, and it just instantly hit me …Like, holy crap man, this definitely hurts.”
Read more Human remains found as search continues for pilot missing in Grand Canyon
Gonzalez recalled the moment a friend called to break the tragic news. Despite the loss, he said Romer’s impact and advice will remain with him.
“When I think of Chip, it’s going to be … live life to the fullest … go fast, live within your means and be humble,” Gonzalez said.
Romer Beverage Company was founded in 1982, expanding operations across Arizona before opening its most recent facility in Yuma. Company leadership confirmed the business will remain open, and details regarding memorial services will be announced at a later date.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Read more FBI disrupts Russian plot to carry out targeted killings on US soil, indictment says