JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A hearing is set to begin Wednesday that will help decide whether the sole survivor of a fatal Coast Guard helicopter crash will face court martial.
Lt. Lance Leone is charged with negligent homicide and other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in connection with the July 2010 accident that killed three colleagues off the Washington coast.
The charges have stunned Leone’s family and friends, as has the mother of one of the victims, who considers the crash an accident.
Witnesses told media outlets the helicopter was flying low and hit power cables.
An investigating officer will hear the charges and make recommendations to the Coast Guard’s commanding officer in Alaska for the next course of action.
Possibilities include dismissal of the charges, administrative action or court martial.
