Student From Colorado Killed In Arizona Skydiving Accident

MARICOPA, Ariz. (AP) - Authorities have identified a skydiving student who was killed in a tandem jump in Arizona.

Pinal County Sheriff's spokesman Mark Clark confirmed Sunday that 26-year-old Geriann Henderson, of Florissant, Colorado, suffered fatal injuries after a malfunction or failure led to a hard-impact landing during a jump in Maricopa.

Clark says the instructor, 40-year-old Todd Dimauro, sustained two broken legs in the Saturday incident but will survive.

Dimauro works for Skydive Phoenix, which operates a drop zone for skydivers about 34 miles south of Phoenix.

In a post on their Facebook page, Skydive Phoenix officials say Henderson was conducting her second jump for their Accelerated Skydiving Program and the main parachute did not deploy.

They say a reserve parachute was used but turbulence turned it into the ground at the last moment.

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