Video shows why BSO deputy was awarded Medal of Honor after fatal helicopter crash

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A motorcycle lawman was connected work successful Broward County erstwhile helium saw acheronian fume billowing retired of a occurrence rescue chopper earlier it started spinning down retired of power and crashed into a one-story flat building.

Deputy Mitchell Machado was successful his Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s motorcycle astatine Dixie Highway and Atlantic Boulevard successful Pompano Beach. He rushed to the clang tract astatine Northwest 10th Street.

Machado’s assemblage cam video showed him driblet the BSO motorcycle, and tally into an apartment.

“Everybody out? Is anybody home? Hello?”

Machado said helium heard faint cries for assistance coming from the neighboring apartment, truthful helium pulled retired his baton to effort to ace a model to get inside.

“I realized it was an interaction window, and determination was nary mode I was going to get successful determination with conscionable a baton,” Machado said. “So, arsenic I was thinking, ‘How tin I participate this flat to assistance the radical that are crying for help?’ That’s erstwhile the flat exploded and pushed maine back.”

BSO Fire Rescue Capt. Terryson Jackson, who was a rider successful the helicopter, and Lurean Wheaton, who was successful the apartment, died connected Aug. 28, 2023.

Daron Roche, the helicopter’s pilot; and Mikael “Mike” Chaguaceda, a firefighter and paramedic who was a rider successful the helicopter, some survived.

Another deputy’s assemblage camera captured the fiery explosion. A portion of shrapnel deed Machado’s helmet. He stood backmost up and moved to assistance survivors to evacuate the burning building.

Martin Hedelund, a retired skipper who supervised Machado connected the time of the crash, said helium “put himself successful harm’s mode to prevention others. Deputies precocious remembered Machado’s heroism and awarded him with a Medal of Honor during a BSO grant ceremony.

Watch the BSO video

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.