A teenager practicing stunt tricks with a $1,500 remote controlled helicopter in a New York park decapitated himself, the UK’s Daily Mail reports.
Police say 19-year-old Roman Pirozek Jr. was executing trick moves with the helicopter in a Brooklyn park Thursday afternoon when one of his stunts went horribly wrong.
Pirozek was a renowned expert whose father is the vice president of the Seaview Rotary Wings Helicopter Club. The club members often practiced flying their remote controlled choppers in the same park. The Trex 700 remote control helicopter has a blade span of 4 feet, weighs 6 pounds, and has a top cruise speed of 60 miles-per-hour.
Police told the Wall Street Journal that Mr Pirozek “was known to be aggressive in his flying and often executed tricks.” YouTube video shows Pitorek maneuvering a similar helicopter over his head and allowing the mini chopper to drop out of the sky then cutting the engine on right before it hits his head. Police believe Pitorek executed a similar stunt when he was killed.
Pitorek’s grieving father was unavailable for comment when a USA Today reporter reached out to him.