Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch Monday, January 8, 1979
Add to My HeroesRonald D. Florence
Officer Ronald Florence, Officer Fred Lucy, and Officer Charles Thompson 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.
Bio
- Age 32
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Aircraft accident
Related LODD Deaths
Officer Fred L. Lucy
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, FL
EOW: January 8, 1979
Officer Charles A. Thompson, III
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, FL
EOW: January 8, 1979
Most Recent Reflection
View all 10 ReflectionsRest in peace Officer Florence.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis
April 24, 2019
Recent LODD Deaths
Patrolman Cassie Johnson
Charleston Police Department, WV
EOW: December 3, 2020
Chief Deputy Constable M. Wayne Rhodes
Denton County Constable's Office - Precinct 2, TX
EOW: December 1, 2020
Officer Andy Ornelas
California Highway Patrol, CA
EOW: December 2, 2020
Deputy Sheriff Jared Michael Allison
Nash County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: December 1, 2020
Correctional Officer Richard Allen Wright
Missouri Department of Corrections, MO
EOW: November 19, 2020
Senior Police Officer Ernest Leal, Jr.
Houston Police Department, TX
EOW: November 27, 2020
Correctional Officer Glenn F. Martinez
Guam Department of Corrections, GU
EOW: November 23, 2020
Detention Officer Dwight Willis
Greene County Sheriff's Office, MO
EOW: November 22, 2020
Captain Jeff Sewell
Oklahoma Highway Patrol, OK
EOW: September 26, 2020