Bangor and federal officials have not yet identified the victims of a fatal plane crash at Bangor International Airport on Sunday night, but a Texas official appeared to identify one during a press conference Monday.
Leslie Briones, commissioner of Harris County Precinct 4, in the Houston area identified one of the victims as Tara Arnold, wife of Kurt Arnold, a founder of the Texas personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin, and one of the officers of the LLC that owned the airplane.
The news was first reported in Maine by WMTW along with a video of the press conference from ABC affiliate KTRK.
An emotional Briones said she is close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold and worked at the law firm herself at one time.
“This is just a tragedy, and in particular Tara, she is just a phenomenal person, a bold leader and somebody who has a, or had, a heart of service,” Briones said, adding, “My heart and my prayers are with Kurt and their children and all of the affected members.”
The crash happened at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday when the plane, a fixed-wing, multi-engine Bombardier Challenger 600, crashed shortly after takeoff, ended up upside down and then caught on fire.
Six people are presumed dead, according to Bangor police, but few other details are known about the crash, which is the deadliest aviation disaster in Bangor’s history.