Crash fatality called 'rising star' in wine industry - Lompoc Record
A 25-year old Santa Ynez man whose car collided with a 15-passenger van Saturday on Highway 154 at Roblar Avenue near Los Olivos, died from his injuries at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on Monday, according to sources close to the family. Friends said they are shocked and surprised by the death of Austin Troy Bartoo, the former personal trainer who came from a tight-knit Santa Ynez family. “Austin was a stand-up guy — just really into fitness, always helping other people at All Sport Fitness," All Sport Fitness manager Valerie Madeira said of Bartoo, who was a member at the gym. “My oldest son Cameron had just said he had coffee with Austin last week, and now he’s gone,” said Madera, who has known Bartoo's family for more than 10 years. Described as a nice guy who always seemed to be smiling, Bartoo could make friends “with just about everybody,” said Eric Delgado, owner of Santa Barbara Designated Drivers and Wine Tours. He just went to Australia for a New Year’s Eve trip and was just an all-around great guy,” said Delgado, who met Bartoo at Firestone Walker Vineyards where he worked. “He had a natural gift for it. He was definitely kind of like a cheerleader, motivator kind of kid,” said Toy Canto, operations manager at Bridlewood Estate Winery, where Bartoo worked for about a year in 2013. Bartoo worked his way up from a... Source: lompocrecord.com
