The couple's 14-year-old son was injured after trying to save his parents, but is expected to recover
A Florida baseball coach and his wife were tragically killed as they helped repair the damaged to a local high school’s field caused by Hurricane Michael.
Corey Crum, 39, who served as Liberty County High School’s head baseball coach, and Shana Crum, 41, were installing a new scoreboard Sunday afternoon when the horrific incident took place, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement shared to Facebook.
“Coach Crum was operating a boom lift, and unloading a piece of equipment from a trailer when the boom of the lift made contact with overhead power lines,” the statement read.
“This electrified the boom lift, electrocuting Coach Crum.”
Witnessing the freak accident, Shana rushed to her husband’s aid and was also electrocuted, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office said.
The couple’s young son then ran over to help but was also shocked.
Soon after, emergency responders arrived on the scene and the 14-year-old boy was rushed to an area hospital. He is expected to recover, the statement explained.
However, both Shana and Corey were pronounced dead on the scene.
“This is a tragic event, which has rocked our community to its core. We ask for prayers and respect for the family, students and parents involved,” the statement read.
Following the incident, “Students were present were bused to the Liberty County High School gym where grief counselors were made available by the Liberty county School Board.”
“The School Board is providing grief counselors to students at all schools today,” the statement read.
County Schools Superintendent David Summers spoke to the Tallahassee Democrat about Shauna and Corey’s deaths saying, “It just kind of knocks you to your knees.”
“It’s like any of these tragedies that we have to endure — they come out of nowhere.”
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At this time, the Liberty county Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.
Summers told the Tallahassee Democrat that the school district will also be looking into the deaths, but until then his focus is on the students.
“We’re just trying to take care of our kids right now before we star on that.”
Coach Crum, who was in his first year as head coach, was loved by many.
Executive Secretary to the superintendent Mary Eubanks said Corey would always check in with his players and encourage them daily. “[It] affects pretty much everyone in the county in some way, because we all tend to be related by marriage or blood,” Eubanks shared with the Tallahassee Democrat.
Sen. Bill Montford also addressed the news. “This comes on the heels of Hurricane Michael.”
“And this family had been so great in helping others who were negatively impacted by the storm. It’s a tragedy. In a community like this, everybody knows everybody. And they’re truly like one big family,” Montford said, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Hurricane Michael made landfall on October 7, 2018, impacting the Florida pandhandle, Georgia, Mexico Beach and more.
As of November the death toll was at 43.