A routine afternoon at Barrow County Airport took a frightening turn Thursday when a paraglider crashed onto the grounds, leaving the pilot seriously injured.
Just after 1 p.m. on September 11, deputies and emergency crews rushed to the airport on Ronald Wood Road after a 911 caller reported the crash. Responders found an adult male who had been flying the paraglider. He was breathing but unresponsive and was quickly transported to the hospital for treatment, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Local officials notified the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the cause of the crash.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said the fast response was possible because a bystander immediately dialed 911.
“The swift action of the citizen who called 911 ensured a rapid response from first responders,” Smith said. “Their attentiveness played an important role in getting help to the injured individual as quickly as possible.”
