One died after Helicopter Lands on Road
Florida Highway Patrol says the helicopter was attempting an emergency landing on the highway when it struck a pole. The rotor struck a nearby pickup truck, killing 72-year-old Deodat Persaud Gangsapersaud, a passenger in the vehicle. The driver was his 35-year-old son, Ryan Anthony Persaud, who was uninjured but taken to the hospital as a precaution.
The helicopter pilot and copilot were not injured. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister says the pilot was highly trained, and the helicopter recently serviced.
The NTSB is investigating the crash.
If there was negligence on the part of the semitrailer driver or the auto manufacturer, Persaud’s family may have grounds to move forward with a civil Wrongful Death case.
