MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office “Air One” helicopter crashed into a lake Tuesday after suffering a mechanical malfunction, officials said.
The helicopter was helping the Florida Forestry Service fight brush fires in the area of Highway 315 and 212th Street Road in Fort McCoy.
The pilot, Sgt. John Rawls, was lowering toward the lake to get another bucket of water when a malfunction caused it to crash, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Rawls was able to free himself from the helicopter and swim to shore.
Heavy equipment was needed to clear a path to reach the pilot in order to get him medical attention, officials said.
He was taken to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
Rawls, has been with the sheriff’s office since 1998 and is a veteran Army helicopter pilot who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Marion County Sheriff Bill Woods said he was thankful Rawls was able to escape the helicopter with only minor injuries.
“Our pilot is OK and, though he does have some injuries, he should be fine," Woods said. "The Marion County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service did an outstanding job in helping us get to our pilot out there in order to get him to the hospital, and I want to thank each of them for the services that they provided to us. We are extremely grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to make sure Sgt. Rawls got the emergency care he needed."
Emergency personnel plan to retrieve the helicopter from the lake Wednesday morning.