# Off-Duty Ohio Assistant Chief Killed In Parachute Accident



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Story by newsnet5.com*

A skydiver fell to his death Sunday in Geauga County.

Sgt. Robert Magnuson, a member of the Cleveland Sports Parachuting Team, was killed after his chute apparently malfunctioned. Magnuson fell onto Mumford Road's narrow concrete ribbon, NewsChannel5 reported.

Officials said he jumped out of the plane at 10,000 feet just at about 2 p.m. in Troy Township, but his parachute did not deploy.

They also said his emergency chute did not open in time.

"It didn't look natural," a witness said. "Everybody was sitting there doing their normal thing. It just didn't look right."

Officials are still trying to find out why his parachute didn't operate properly.

Magnuson was an assistant police chief and 28-year veteran of the Canfield police department. He was an expert skydiver with more than 1,000 jumps. He was also a skydiving instructor.

The Geauga County Sheriff's Department and the Federal Aviation Administration is handling the investigation.

Magnuson leaves behind a wife and four children.

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