** Names of victims of Arkansas air ambulance crash identified
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Arkansas authorities have begun releasing the names of victims of Sunday’s air ambulance crash. Arkansas Online (Brandon Riddle/November 20) said the dead include Shreveport, Louisiana flight paramedic Trey Auld III, 26, flight paramedic/nurse Jim Spruiell, 61, and Hot Springs pilot Mike Bollen, 46. According to the news site, the Bell 407 Rotorcraft chopper, which was operated by Air Methods for Pafford One, crashed about 10 miles east of Dewitt. It was en route to a patient pick-up at the time. A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the cause of the crash is currently unknown. However, several bystanders who witnessed the aircraft go down said a bird strike may be a possibility (Fox 13/Tom Dees/November 20). At the time of the mishap, large amounts of geese were in the vicinity. Police say the crash site is difficult to access because the chopper is now in a swampy area. However, by Monday evening both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were on site. Little information has been released about the crash victims. However, one report indicated that Spruiell was married and a father of four. Funeral services for the crew are pending.
