NEWPORT BEACH — Officials unveiled a plaque at Marina Park on Sunday to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella, who was killed in a helicopter crash while patrolling over Newport Beach.
“One year has passed, and there is still no words that can adequately express this loss,” Huntington Beach Police Chief Eric Parra said. “We will always remember Nick on this day. He was a selfless and driven police officer who we were blessed to have known.”
Today, 2/19/23, the HBPD, in collaboration w/ the NBPD, unveiled the memorial plaque in tribute to HB Police Off Pilot Nicholas Vella. The unveiling took place @ Marina Park in Newport Beach on the 1st anniversary of Vella’s passing. Full press release: https://t.co/mJX7dS88F8 pic.twitter.com/hOohIUVb7s
— Huntington Beach PD (@HBPoliceDept) February 19, 2023
Vella was in the Huntington Beach police helicopter HB-1 responding to a call on Feb. 19, 2022, when the helicopter crashed into the water off Newport Beach. The initial National Transportation Safety Board report detailed how Villa and the pilot were on a routine patrol over Newport Beach at about 6:30 p.m. when they responded to a dispatch of a fight. The two flew over the scrum area and turned on an infrared camera.
Vella spotted the group fighting “and the pilot began to maneuver the helicopter in a tighter right orbit while (Vella) relayed his observations over the police radio channel,” according to the NTSB report.
Officers on the ground arrived as the helicopter continued orbiting about 500 feet above.
“The pilot stated that he watched as ground patrol officers got out of their car and approached the group, who by this time had mostly dispersed,” the NTSB reported. “He was concerned that one of the group was about to start fighting with an officer, and he slowed the helicopter to keep the camera aimed at the scene longer so that they would not lose sight of it behind a…
Read the full article here
