A glimpse into the lives of 3 killed in ATV crash, including a Kent man

Devon Anonson, 26, of Kent, was the “king of one-liners full of charisma and life of the party.”

Halle Cole, 24, of Maple Valley, and the girlfriend of Anonson, was “a special and compassionate soul that brought immense joy and love into everyone’s lives.”

Benjamin Gomez-Santana, 23, of Covington, “referred to as Benji by friends and family, was one of the most positive and upbeat characters many of us ever had the honor to know.”

All three, as well as Conner Jenkins, 24, of Orting, died July 29 in a rollover crash involving a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle in Central Washington near the town of Liberty, about 22 miles north of Ellensburg. The ATV burst into flames after it rolled on a dirt road in the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office.

Cole and Gomez-Santana died at the scene of the crash. Helicopters transported Jenkins and Anonson to Harborview Medical Center’s burn center in critical condition in Seattle, but neither man survived the night.

The open field where the crash occurred is a popular recreational spot for campers and ATVs, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the crash and fire are under investigation.

Families and friends started GoFundMe accounts for Anonson, Cole and Gomez-Santana to help pay for funeral expenses and family support. A look at those pages gives a glimpse into the lives of the three.

Devon Anonson

Anonson worked as an equipment operator with North Bend-based CR Construction.

“He was king of one-liners, full of charisma and life of the party,” according to a GoFundMe account organized by Brook Gonzales, of Orting. “Devon loved the outdoors. He was always four-wheeling, rock climbing, or any other stunt to give his parents gray hair.”

His job as an equipment manager was “his dream occupation.”

“He was born playing in a dirt pile with his John Deere tractors,” according to the GoFundMe page. “Devon is gone too soon but forever in our hearts.”

Anonson’s survivors include his mother and father and a younger brother.

Halle Cole

Cole worked as an assistant manager for Chromatique Salon, which has locations in Issaquah and Bellevue.

“Halle was a dear friend and an integral part of our salon family,” according to a Facebook post by Chromatique Salon. “This tragedy is even more difficult because Maddy Cole, one of Chromatique’s lead stylists and educators, is left without her sister and best friend.

“We will forever cherish the beautiful memories we shared together and the indelible mark they left on our salon. Our hearts ache as we mourn the loss of such an incredible individual.

“During this difficult time, we extend our deepest sympathies to the Cole family, their friends and loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate through this profound grief.”

Cole is survived by her father and mother, Eric and Lisa Cole, and her two sisters and best friends, Josie Cole and Maddy Cole, described by their mom as the “pyramid.”

“Halle was a special and compassionate soul that brought immense joy and love into everyone’s lives,” according to the GoFundMe page organized by the Chromatique family, of Bellevue. “May Halle’s memory forever be a light in our lives, and may her beautiful spirit be an inspiration to us all.”

Benjamin Gomez-Santana

Gomez-Santana was referred to as “Benji” by his friends and family.

“He was one of the most positive and upbeat characters many of us ever had the honor to know,” said Brett Easter, of Enumclaw, who organized a GoFundMe page for his friend. “He would light up the room wherever he was, whether it was a high school classroom, a car on a road trip, a monotonous construction site or a friend’s living room.

“Benji was a family first man, who adored his parents to his core, he admired and looked up to his father and loved his caring mom for her unconditionally loving characteristics.”

Halle Cole. COURTESY PHOTO, GoFundMe

Benjamin Gomez Santana. COURTESY PHOTO, GoFundMe