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
Police Officer Kyle Olinger
Montgomery County Police Department, MD
EOW: April 18, 2019
Conservation Officer Eugene Wynn, Jr.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Division, MN
EOW: April 19, 2019
Deputy Sheriff Justin Richard DeRosier
Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, WA
EOW: April 14, 2019
Sergeant Steven L. Licon
California Highway Patrol, CA
EOW: April 6, 2019
Deputy Sheriff II Spencer Allen Englett
Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, GA
EOW: April 4, 2019
Detective Benjamin J. Campbell
Maine State Police, ME
EOW: April 3, 2019
Trooper Gerald Wayne Ellis
Illinois State Police, IL
EOW: March 30, 2019
Trooper Brooke Jones-Story
Illinois State Police, IL
EOW: March 28, 2019
Deputy Sheriff Peter Herrera
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: March 24, 2019