Southwest
73-year-old man dies in skydiving incident in Arizona after his parachute failed to fully open
Authorities are investigating the death of a 73-year-old experienced skydiver in Arizona, after his parachute did not fully deploy during a jump.
Eloy Police said the incident happened just after 12 p.m. on Wednesday when Terry Gardner, 73, and three other skydivers were making their third jump of the day with Skydive Arizona.
Police added that the group had planned a formation jump from an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet, but were unable to complete the intended formation.
Police said the formation didn’t go as planned as Gardner experienced complications when he attempted to deploy his parachute. While the other three skydivers landed safely, Gardner’s parachute never fully deployed to slow his descent.
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FILE- A skydiver in the air is descending to the ground after jumping. (iStock)
Rescue crews arrived and worked to stabilize Gardner’s condition, but he succumbed to his injuries and died at a local hospital a short time later.
At this time, it remains uncertain if there were any issues with the parachute, police said, adding that an inspection of the parachute will be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the cause of the complications.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with all those who knew and loved Terry Gardner during this challenging time,” Eloy Police wrote on social media.
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FILE- Skydivers land at Marina Green for the largest aerial skydive ever performed in San Francisco. (John Shearer/Getty Images for T-Mobile)
Skydive Arizona also released a statement to Fox News Digital, sharing their condolences on Gardner’s passing and the impact he made on the skydiving community.
“The Skydive Arizona community is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of a beloved member. This tragedy profoundly impacts everyone who knew them, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to their family and friends in this difficult period,” a spokesperson for the company wrote.
This is the area’s second deadly skydiving-related incident in the last month after a hot air balloon carrying eight skydivers crashed.
Federal authorities still are investigating the Jan. 14 crash of a hot air balloon in a desert area of Eloy that left a pilot and three passengers dead and critically injured another passenger.
Eloy Police released the names of the victims killed in a hot air balloon crash on Sunday in Arizona. (Credit: FOX 10 Phoenix)
An “unspecified problem” with the “envelope” of that balloon may have led to the fatal crash, investigators confirmed to the Associated Press.
The “envelope” is the bag that fills with hot air to make the balloon rise.
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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