County drone crashes into tree, lands in Lodi backyard during Fourth of July celebration
By Andres Valle
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LODI, Calif. (KCRA) — A Fourth of July celebration near Lodi Lake took a frightening turn when a San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services drone crashed into a tree and landed in a nearby backyard, alarming neighbors gathered outside with their families.
Witnesses said the crash happened around 8 p.m. Saturday while it was still light out and as people were preparing to watch fireworks. Raising questions about why it happened.
“We’d like to know, though, because if that had fallen on that tree, it could have fallen on us. It could have killed one of our children. The pieces were huge,” witness Elissa Rehn said.
Neighbors said the drone came down dangerously close to families and children who were outside celebrating the holiday. They said one of the most alarming details was the size of the aircraft.
Ruben Hernandez, who also witnessed the crash, said the drone struck a tree and appeared to break apart as it fell.
“That’s where it was bouncing around. And I guess the propeller was trimming it,” Hernandez said.
Rehn said people first heard an unusual sound before realizing something had gone wrong overhead.
“All of a sudden we hear these weird noises, and it was almost like a really loud weed eater. But then we heard crashing,” Rehn said.
At first, neighbors said they did not realize what they were seeing until police officers arrived in a nearby backyard.
“When you think of drones, you think of something maybe this big,” Rehn said, gesturing with her hands. “But as I said, when we saw the pieces falling, they were this big. So I wasn’t sure what it was.”
Hernandez said the drone appeared to circle before crashing into the tree.
“Everybody was looking over there, and it hit the tree, and it bounced around, shaved part of it off. And then I guess it landed in the ground,” Hernandez said.
In a statement, San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services said it was using the drone to assist Lodi police with crowd monitoring during the Lodi Lake fireworks event.
“An OES drone experienced an unexpected and uncontrolled descent,” the agency said in the statement. “This caused the aircraft to become unstable and ultimately collide with a tree before coming to rest in a nearby backyard.”
The agency said initial information indicates a sudden, unforecast wind gust may have destabilized the aircraft, though a full review is underway.
For neighbors who watched it happen, the close call remains unsettling.
“When you think of the story, and it’s so crazy, and it’s so weird, but when you really truly think about it, it could have hurt somebody really bad,” Rehn said.
“If it had landed on somebody or if it had landed in the wrong place, it could have done a lot of damage,” Hernandez said.
County officials said they are working with the property owner, Lodi police and the drone manufacturer to assess the incident. The agency said it plans to incorporate any findings into its operations to help prevent a similar crash in the future.
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