Chief of Staff Steve Lester briefed the media about an in-air collision involving two small planes that occurred over Lake Hartridge around 2:04 p.m., March 7, 2023, in Winter Haven. Watch the briefing here.
UPDATE ONE:
Polk County Sheriff's Office investigators are confirming that the two small airplanes involved in the mid-air crash over Lake Hartridge in Winter Haven have been positively identified:
1. A Piper J-3 Cub sea plane operated by Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Winter
Haven
2. A Cherokee Piper 161 fixed wing plane operated by Sunrise Aviation (Ormond
Beach) on behalf of Polk State College
Investigators have not positively identified those who were on the planes.
Once positive identification has been made and next of kin notification has been made, we will release their identities.
At this point in the search and rescue operation, two deceased bodies have been located.
UPDATE TWO:
Polk County Sheriff's Office investigators are confirming that four people have been located who were in the two planes that crashed. All four are deceased. Three of those are:
Faith Irene Baker, 24, of Winter Haven, a pilot/flight instructor with Sunrise Aviation (Cherokee Piper 161)
Zachary Jean Mace, 19, of Winter Haven, a student at Polk State College (Cherokee Piper 161)
Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, from Carlisle, Pennsylvania (Piper J-3 Cub)
Deputies are working to confirm the identity of a fourth deceased person (Piper J-3 Cub). Once a positive identification has been made, and next of kin notification has been made, we will release the identity.
All four located persons are the only occupants of the planes. It is no longer a search and rescue operation, but a recovery operation.
