Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Monday, January 8, 1979
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: January 8, 1979
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Charles Thompson, Officer Ronald Florence, and Officer Fred Lucy were killed in a plane crash while en route to pickup a prisoner in Panama City, Florida.
The Cessna 411, which had been seized several weeks prior, developed engine problems within minutes of taking off from Craig Field in Jacksonville. The pilot attempted to return to the airport was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field along Beach Boulevard. The plane struck a telephone pole and then the roof of a car dealership before coming to rest. All three officers were killed on impact.