Local

Florida man killed in Chester County SC skydiving incident, officials say

A man from Florida was killed Saturday in a skydiving incident in Chester County, officials said.

Justin Wiliam Swaggerty, 20, of Naples, Fla, died at the scene at Skydive Carolina, said Terry Tinker, Chester County Coroner.

Swaggerty was killed when he struck another aircraft on the ground while landing, Tinker said.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration were on the scene Sunday investigating the fatality, Tinker said.

The coroner’s office is working with federal and South Carolina officials on the investigation, Tinker said.

The skydive center is at the Chester County airport in northwest Chester County near Lowrys, south of the York County line. The skydive center has been in operation since 1986, according to its Web site.

A Virginia skydiver with more than 15,000 jumps of experience was killed at the site in 2018.

This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 9:13 AM.

Andrew Dys
The Herald
Andrew Dys covers breaking news and public safety for The Herald, where he has been a reporter and columnist since 2000. He has won 51 South Carolina Press Association awards for his coverage of crime, race, justice, and people. He is author of the book “Slice of Dys” and his work is in the U.S. Library of Congress.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER