WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSYX) — Timothy Williams, a 35-year-old military veteran, died in a paraglider crash on Sunday in Scioto County.
According to the Ohio Highway Patrol, Williams fell while paragliding over a field near the Ohio River. His death occurred shortly after he sent a video to a friend, showing him foot-launching into the air for the first time.
Williams, traveling from Byron, Georgia, was attending a powered paragliding event when the accident happened. Close friend Joshua Craig, president of the Central Georgia Experimental Aircraft Association 38th Chapter, described Williams as an aviation enthusiast who flew daily and enjoyed acrobatics.
“Aviation is a small community; when something like this happens, it devastates everybody,” Craig said. He emphasized the need for answers to improve safety measures and education in the sport.
Williams was also a wounded veteran who had served in Iraq and was committed to supporting animal rescue initiatives. He was working with Craig to develop an aviation program for fellow wounded veterans, viewing aviation as a therapeutic experience.
The Ohio Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.