Injured pilot’s condition improves
HPD helicopter crash survivor’s status is upgraded to serious
The condition of the Houston police officer injured in Saturday’s deadly helicopter crash has been upgraded from critical to serious, Memorial Hermann Hospital spokeswoman Natasha Barrett said Sunday.
Chase Cormier, the helicopter pilot, underwent long hours of surgery on Saturday. Friends say his injuries included a broken back, broken ribs and a concussion. Joe Gamaldi, head of the Houston Police Officers Union, said he is improving but “still has a long road of recovery ahead of him.”
The crash early Saturday in Greenspoint killed Jason Knox, a respected officer who last year fulfilled his goal of joining the department’s Air and Marine Division.
Cormier’s wife, Brooke, wrote a heartfelt Facebook post Sunday about an encounter at the hospital with Knox’s wife, Keira, a Cypress-Fairbanks Fire Department dispatcher.
“While her entire world crumbled around her in the matter of minutes, she still had the compassion and kindness to actually look for ME before she left the hospital,” according to a portion of the post. “She wanted to find me to hug me tightly and let me know how hard she was praying for my husband’s recovery and we just both cried hysterically together. I have no words. I just am completely rocked by the selflessness that she showed during the absolute worst time in her life.”
No new details about the crash investigation were released Sunday. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NTSB has not been sending representatives to crash sites, officials said. The FAA, however, responded to the crash and will send their findings to the NTSB through a
joint investigation.
Around 2 a.m. Saturday, Knox and Cormier were flying over Greenspoint searching for a body in a bayou when the helicopter spiraled out of control. The aircraft careened into an apartment complex clubhouse, becoming the first fatal helicopter crash in HPD history. The wreckage has since been removed from the apartment complex, leaving behind speckles of blue paint from the crashed chopper. Fire extinguishers were also scattered around the scene. Local authorities said there was no indication yet on what caused the crash.
The union offered a way to donate to the officers’ families at assisttheofficer.com. Houston police spokesman Kese Smith said funeral arrangements are still being planned for Knox.