Two prominent business owners died in a devastating boat crash after their vessel struck land at high speed and was thrown into the air.
Charles “Chip” Romer, 65, and Jennifer Luzzi, 59, were killed Saturday evening when their boat hit a large peninsula on Lake Havasu, the vast Colorado River reservoir that lies along the Arizona-California border.
The 36-foot Douglas Marine boat became airborne before landing upside down in a boat-in campsite north of Cattail Cove State Park, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies found Romer and Luzzi unresponsive beside the overturned vessel.
First responders performed CPR and made efforts to save their lives, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Luzzi, a mother of four, was a real estate agent in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She worked with the global Keller Williams firm and ran her own agency, The Jennifer Luzzi Group.
Romer was the owner of Romer Beverage Company, a family-run beer wholesaler and beverage distributor based in nearby Kingman. He was also an accomplished boat racer.
A preliminary investigation found that the boat was traveling at high speed when it struck the large peninsula at around 7 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Jennifer Luzzi, 59, was one of two prominent business owners killed in Saturday’s boat crash on Lake Havasu
Charles “Chip” Romer, 65, was the second person killed in the crash
The force of the collision launched the boat out of the water and into the air before it came down upside down.
The sheriff’s office has not identified any contributing factors and said the fatal incident remains under investigation.
Officials have not said how Romer and Luzzi knew each other.
Keller Williams announced Luzzi’s death in a Facebook post, describing her as an “integral and cherished member” of the company.
“Beyond her professional contributions, her warmth, dedication, and vibrant presence touched the lives of so many within our community and left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” the post said.
‘Jennifer will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.’
David Morse, CEO of Keller Williams Arizona Realty, said Luzzi was: ‘A staple in the community, a leader within our company, and most importantly a valued mother and friend.’
One of her former clients, Guy Elhanani, echoed the remark, sharing how Luzzi was an ‘extraordinary broker’ and helped him acquire two commercial storage facilities.
Luzzi was a real estate agent based in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She worked for global firm Keller Williams and operated her own agency, The Jennifer Luzzi Group
Their 36-foot Douglas Marine struck a large peninsula while the pair were travelling at high speeds, police say. The impact propelled the boat out of the water and sent it flying through the sky, before it slammed down upside down
‘Beyond her exceptional professionalism, she was a vibrant force in our community whose energy, dedication, and warmth made a lasting impression on everyone who crossed her path,’ he wrote. ‘Our community has suffered an unimaginable loss.’
Romer was a businessman, pilot, race car driver, boater and devoted family man, his friend Neville Agass said in a tribute post.
Agass shared how his relationship with Romer evolved from professional to close friendship over their shared interests.
‘He was a very passionate person at whatever he took on,’ he wrote. ‘He fitted more into his lifetime than I would in five lifetimes.’
Romer, who appears to have three children, was due to become a grandfather in the coming months, according to a post from Absolute Speed and Marine, a boat shop he reportedly frequented.
‘The best part of our day is when Chip would come by “making his rounds” almost every day. Whether his boats were in the shop or not he’d come by just to catch up and talk boats,’ the shop’s owners wrote online.
Jennifer is seen with her four adult children Garrett, Loga, Peyton and Ashley
‘He’d play with our grandson, and tell us how excited he was to be a Grandpa in the coming months.’
The shop described Romer as the ‘kindest, most inspiring person you’d ever meet’ and said his ‘passion for horsepower’ was unmatched.
‘Chip and Jennifer will be forever missed. Our love and prayers go out to their families as they try to navigate this very difficult time,’ Absolute Speed and Marine added.
