William Patrick Moore, Mitchell Jay Zahler Obituary, Death – The two individuals who lost their lives in a plane crash in Afton on Saturday have been identified by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. They have been named as William Patrick Moore, 85, from White Bear Lake, and Mitchell Jay Zahler, 68, from Baytown Township.
Shortly before 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 calls from residents living near the 15000 block of Afton Hills Boulevard South, reporting what appeared to be a small explosion.
Upon arrival, emergency crews discovered a small aircraft fully engulfed in flames, having crashed in the yard of a residence near the attached garage. The Lower St. Croix Valley Fire Department managed to extinguish the fire and recovered the bodies of the two victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating the cause of the crash.