ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla — A 42-year-old Hawthorne man died from a fireworks accident in Campville, deputies said.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office said the victim's wife called just before 9:30 a.m. saying her husband was setting off large fireworks in a nearby pasture, but she was unable to contact him. A short time later, he was found injured by family members and and CPR was started, deputies said.
Darren Lotow was airlifted to UF Health, where he later died.
Deputies said Lotow was injured when attempting to set off large mortar-type fireworks through a PVC pipe, the fireworks malfunctioned and exploding out the side of the pipe.
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Neighbor/mechanic tells me Lotow dropped this truck off to get fixed hours before he was killed in firework accident pic.twitter.com/sB5I17a7ow
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
Darren Lotow, COO of Advantage Wellness Services, was killed in fireworks accident in Hawthorne. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/6bErwLG1ep
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
.@AlachuaSheriff says fireworks malfunctioned, exploding out the side of pipe, fatally injuring Darren Lotow. @ActionNewsJax
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
While still on phone w/ dispatchers, Lotow's family found him w/ major injuries because of fireworks explosion. @ActionNewsJax
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
Lotow's wife called emergency communication center b/c he was setting off large fireworks and she was unable to contact him. @ActionNewsJax
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
#Alachua County man Darren Lotow, 42, died last night in a fireworks accident #anjaxbreaking @ActionNewsJax
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) July 5, 2016
Posted by Alachua County Sheriff on Tuesday, July 5, 2016
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