Police in Florida are investigating the death of a 69-year-old skydiver who was found in the front lawn of a home in Titusville.
Frederick C. Morello, 69, from nearby Ormond Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene, Titusville police wrote in a release. He was found “outfitted in parachute attire and gear.”
Police wrote that the “solo parachuting incident” occurred around 12:25 p.m. local time on Saturday.
Resident James Sconiers told local broadcaster News 6 that it was his front yard where the man landed. He shared surveillance footage taken outside his home that shows the fatal crash reflected in the back window of an SUV.
In the video, the skydiver can be seen with a yellow parachute deployed, falling fast.
“God, he was so close to falling on my house,” Sconiers said in a televised interview.
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“I was asking the person that was laying on the ground, ‘Hey man, can you hear me, can you hear me?’ But he did not answer,” Sconiers added.
Sconiers is a veteran of the Vietnam War and has parachuting experience. The incident has left him with many questions.
“Look at the video and look at what happened, why did he fall so hard if all the safety mechanisms (were) in place? Something tells me there’s a problem there,” he said.
After Morello fell in his yard, Sconiers’ surveillance camera shows a man in a yellow shirt taking the skydiver’s parachute and walking away. Sconier believes the man works for the Skydive Space Center, an outfit that offers skydiving experiences and is located a short walking distance away from his home.
A reporter with News 6 went to the Skydive Space Center to ask if the parachuter came from their company. The outlet was told they had no comment on the situation.
A fellow skydiver, who was unnamed, told News 6 that she had known Morello for more than 20 years and described him as a very skilled and safety-conscious skydiver.
Police say the investigation into Morello’s death is ongoing.
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