Huntington Beach police held a procession Tuesday for an officer killed in a helicopter crash while responding to a call over the weekend.
Officer Nicholas Vella, a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department, was killed Saturday night when the Police Department helicopter he was riding in with another officer crashed into the waters off Newport Beach.
The two officers were responding to what was described as a priority call when the helicopter went down, the Police Department stated in a release.
Witnesses and emergency personnel helped pull the officers from the chopper, and both were transported to local area hospitals.
Vella died from injuries he received in the crash. The second officer was released from the hospital Sunday.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The Police Department remembered the 44-year-old Vella as a selfless and driven police officer and man.
Vella leaves behind a wife and teenage daughter, according to the release.
The procession began at 1 p.m. at the Orange County Coroner’s Office and continued to Community Funeral Service, located at 1301 South Beach Boulevard in La Habra.
The Police Department and the Huntington Beach Police Officer Association established an account for donations to support Vella’s family. Click here to donate.
