Update: Okeechobee Plane Crash
Okeechobee, Fl (treasurecoast)- A plane crashed Saturday just outside the Okeechobee County Airport. Deputy Richard Varnadore with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office was the first on scene.
A family of three from Brevard County had rented the plane from Titusville and flown to Okeechobee. The mother, 50-year-old Dawn Sale of Mims, told investigators that as they were taking off, the motor started to cut out about 100-feet off the ground. She added her husband, 51-year-old Raymer Sale tried to turn the aircraft around but the motor then shut off. The plane began to nosedive before crashing into the field.
Deputy Varnadore said the son was yelling that his father was trapped in the plane. The deputy says he bear hugged the father. He then ran with him away from the plane. The deputy said he was in the right place at the right time. In fact, he wasn’t even supposed to be working on Saturday.
Like most in law enforcement, Deputy Varnadore shrugs off the “hero” label, saying it was his training that allowed him to act swiftly.
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