A retired Davis County Sheriff’s deputy has died from injuries he suffered as a passenger in a small plane that crashed Thursday in Centerville, killing the pilot.
Lt. Jason Sorensen, 47 — a retired deputy and paramedic for Davis County and pilot for Intermountain Life Flight — died Monday night from injuries and burns sustained in the crash, the sheriff’s office announced on its blog.
Sheriff Kelly V. Sparks, in a statement, said, “Davis County Sheriff’s Office is hurting today. Jason was universally loved. He had a huge impact on the lives of many people in Davis County and around the state. Jason was an important part of our Sheriff’s Office family and we truly mourn his loss.”
Sorensen, who suffered extensive burns in the crash, was being treated at University of Utah Health’s Burn Center in Salt Lake City, according to a donation website set up by the Davis County Fraternal Order of Police. The sheriff’s office blog post also lists a charitable account set up for Sorensen’s family with America First Credit Union.
The plane went down in a field west of the Legacy Parkway at 1950 West in Centerville at 12:54 p.m., according to police. The owner and pilot of the “experimental” plane — Andre Kostrzewa, 72, of Salt Lake City — died after he was flown by helicopter to a hospital.
“The citizens that saw the plane crash were able to run out there and pull the two occupants out while it was on fire,” UHP Lt. Nick Street said Thursday. Two of the rescuers was treated for minor burns at the scene, according to Centerville Police.
“Sorensen spent his life saving others and his efforts will continue after life, with the donation of his organs to others in need,” the announcement from the sheriff’s office said.
Plans for Sorensen’s funeral will be announced in the coming weeks, the sheriff’s office said.
On Tuesday, brothers Lyle and Brad Berglund, of Roy and Syracuse, respectively, recounted how they saw the airplane hit the ground and burst into flames.
During a news conference at Intermountain Health Care’s Life Flight Hangar in Salt Lake City, the home remodelers said they immediately pulled their car to the side of the road and ran across both northbound and southbound lanes of traffic to get to the crash and pull the two men from the wreckage.
“There wasn’t much hesitation to go in and pull them out,” Brad said. “We knew what we had to do and we just did it.”
The Berglunds suffered minors burns and smoke inhalation.
“The mental aspect,” said Lyle, “that has been pretty traumatic.”
They both said their immediate instinct was to help. “When a life is on the line,” said Brad, “the answer is yes for me.”
Added Lyle: “For me, too.”
