Lesa France Kennedy's husband killed in plane crash

Lesa France Kennedy's husband killed in plane crash

By KATHY KELLY
STAFF WRITER
Daytona Beach News-Journal Online

SANFORD -- Dr. Bruce Kennedy, husband of International Speedway Corp. President Lesa France Kennedy, was killed this morning when the twin-engine Cessna he was piloting crashed into a Sanford neighborhood, setting two houses on fire, NASCAR officials confirmed today.

At least four other persons were killed, including two children, and three others were injured, fire officials said. Two homes were destroyed.

Seminole County authorities late today identitified the three people killed on the ground as Janice Joseph Woodard, 24, and Joseph Woodard III, 6 mo., of 256 Willowbay Ridge Court., and Gabrielle Dechat, 4, of 254 Willowbay Ridge Court.


NASCAR officials said Kennedy was piloting the six-passenger Cessna 310R when it went down about 8:50 a.m. shortly after takeoff from Daytona International Airport. A NASCAR public relations spokesman confirmed Kennedy and co-pilot Michael Klemm, 56, of Daytona Beach, senior captain with NASCAR Aviation, were killed.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the plane crash that occurred this morning in Sanford, Florida," ISC Executive Vice President and COO John Saunders said. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Bruce Kennedy, and others that have been lost or injured in this tragic accident.”

The plane crashed into one house and the resulting fire set the house next door ablaze. The crash occurred on Willowbay Ridge Court at a subdivision called The Preserve at Lake Monroe, south of U.S. 17-92 and east of Interstate 4. Located near the Central Florida Zoo and the Orlando Sanford International Airport, the subdivision is comprised of new two-story single family homes.

Lou-Ann Cappola, a schoolteacher who lives about a block away from the crash site, said residents of the subdivision are accustomed to noise from a nearby railyard. So she didn't think twice of it.

"I thought the trains were banging and making noise," she said. "I was on the porch and looked up and saw smoke - black, black smoke. At that point, all the sirens were coming."

Minnetto said a boy, believed to be about 10 years old, was among the injured, with about 80 percent to 90 percent of his body burned. Joe Brown, spokesman for Orlando Regional Medical Center, confirmed that two adults and child had been taken to that facility. He said he could release no names or conditions of the patients.

Seminole County property records identify the owners of the home at 354 Willowbay Ridge St. as Peter and Milagros Dechat. They purchased the home, which has a market value of $291,447, in July 2005, according to records. Owners of the house next door at 356 Willowbay Ridge Court are listed as Joe Woodard Jr. and Janice K. Joseph.

Eric Domnitz, a food sales worker who lives just down the street from the crash, said the blaze was two times bigger than one of the houses. He hurried with a fire extinguisher to a horrific scene.

“It’s in my head. The woman was just melting. It looked like her skin was just melting off,” he said. “The guy, he was melting. He looked like wax.”

Jeremy Blake, a Willowbay Ridge Court resident, said he felt lucky his house was not hit.

"My house is parallel to their house," he said, referring to one of the homes destroyed. "The plane came over Lake Monroe and veered right. It hit the trees, and went the other way, like a Z, and then hit those houses."

Leigh Morrison, who also lives a couple of houses away, said the house was fully engulfed by flames when she stepped outside.

"There was only one firetruck when I came out," she said. "The flames were already shooting out of the roof by 25 or 30 feet." Another neighbor who did not wish to be named, heard the crash.

"It was very loud, but I didn't realize it was a crash at first," the neighbor said. "I knew the family very well. I live four houses away. Once a year, before New Year's, we'd have a block party. They are very nice people."

The twin-engine plane was registered to Competitor Liaison Bureau Inc. of Daytona Beach, said Kathleen Bergen with the Federal Aviation Administration. Competitor Liaison is based in Daytona Beach and lists William C. France, the late chairman of NASCAR, as its registered agent in online records from the Department of State Division of Corporations. James C. France also is listed as an officer of the company. FAA records show Dr. Kennedy has a commercial pilot certification.

The plane was traveling from Daytona Beach to Lakeland when the pilot declared smoke in the cockpit. The plane tried to land at the Orlando Sanford International Airport when it crashed about a mile or two north of the airport, Bergen said. A message left with an airport spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

Kathy Douglas, who lives in the neighborhood, heard a loud boom and thought it was train cars "coming together" on a nearby railroad track. After reaching the crash site, she saw the 10-year-boy and his father flown away by a rescue helicopter. The mother, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital, was crying "my baby, my baby," Douglas said.

At a news briefing, authorities confirmed that two people died in the plane. Three people in the home that sustained the direct hit were injured, including a mother, father and 10-year-old boy who sustained burns over 80 to 90 percent of his body.

Ryan Cooper, a Lake Mary firefighter who was off duty and without protective equipment, was treated for smoke inhalation. The firefighter was the first to arrive on the scene, entered the home and rescued the boy. The crash call came about 8:30 a.m. A witness saw the plane teetering as it was coming across Lake Monroe. It hit the rear of one of two houses on Willowbay Ridge Street. The resulting fire spread quickly because of the aviation fuel aboard. The two homes and the plane were completely destroyed.

National Transportation Safety Board Spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz said an investigator has been sent to the scene. "You're looking at the maintenance history of the aircraft, the flight history of the pilot and weather conditions," Lopatkiewicz said of some of the information the investigator will collect. A preliminary report will be available within a couple of weeks while a complete investigation could take up to a year, Lopatkiewicz said.

Kennedy's death came just five weeks after the June 4 death of Lesa France Kennedy's father, Bill France Jr. She serves as president of the International Speedway Corp.

The couple was married May 7, 1988 at Seabreeze United Church. They have one son, Ben, now about 15.