CLEVELAND — A detective with the Cleveland Police Department has “a long, long road to recovery” after police say she was critically injured in a deadly paragliding accident.
Detective Ashley Schut and her husband were on a trip in Utah Tuesday, visiting the Salt Lake County Flight Park, a world-famous gliding destination.
According to police in Draper, Utah, Schut was paragliding with a pilot when they collided with a hang glider, knocking them out of the sky and onto the ground. The pilot she was with—44-year-old Joshua Ellison—was killed. Schut was taken by helicopter to a Salt Lake City area hospital with critical injuries. The pilot of the hang glider was also taken to the hospital with severe injuries.
“Doctors have been able to reverse paralysis by relieving spinal cord pressure with surgery and are performing her third surgery on a fractured pelvis,” according to a press release from the Cleveland Police Department.
Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz said Schut has been a dedicated member of the Cleveland Police Department for five years, and is currently assigned to the Violent Crime Reduction Team in the fourth district.
"It's obviously devastating to our division as well, you know, members that work with her, know her. So, pretty difficult for us," Sgt. Diaz said.
Since the fall, her family has felt the support of law enforcement even far from home. When the Utah Fraternal Order of Police heard about it, they created a Help a Hero fundraiser for the Schut family. More than $14,000 had been raised as of 6 p.m. Friday.
"It brings some sense of relief that a department across the country is providing support to our member," Sgt. Diaz said. "Any injuries that magnitude, it’s difficult. And, you know, we're hopeful and we’re praying for her."
The ongoing surgeries to repair her fractured pelvis and help her to heal are only part of the difficult journey back home. A press release from CPD says "she has a long, long road to recovery."
"Hopefully we can bring her back soon and get her back to doing what she loves which is serving the community," Diaz said. "The ultimate plan, the ultimate hope is to bring her back home, fully recovered."