BRISTOL, Fla. – A Florida high school head baseball coach and his wife were killed after being electrocuted at the district’s baseball field in Bristol Sunday afternoon, a school board member confirmed.
Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy John Summers confirmed the incident occurred during a voluntary field work day at the county baseball field that included coaches, parents and players. Coach Corey Crum and his wife Shana were killed. Their son, Chase Crum, was also injured.
“Our scoreboard fell over basically and was destroyed by Hurricane Michael,” said school board member Kyle Peddie, who also is a parent of a Liberty County High School baseball player.
“So we had ordered a new scoreboard, it had come in and so (Corey), along with a few of the baseball players and some parents were out working on that and he was on some kind of lift and he got into an electrical line.”
Crum’s wife Shana immediately came to the aid of her husband and then was electrocuted herself, Peddie said. She was a health aide in the Liberty County School District.
Peddie believed their son Chase was burned, but his injuries were not life-threatening. The boy reportedly has been transferred to UF Health Shands Hospital.
Crum was in his first year as head varsity baseball coach after previously coaching the junior varsity team.
“He was doing a phenomenal job,” Peddie said. ”We had a two o’clock game (Saturday) against Cottondale and won 11 to one.”
The team also defeated the defending state champion baseball team with a score of three to one on Friday night.
Peddie described Crum as well-loved in the community.
“The boys are devastated,” he said.
Corey Crum’s brother Randall Crum, visited the gymnasium where the baseball team gathered after the incident. He talked to the team, saying their coach would have wanted them to always do their absolute best and keep pressing forward.
“It was remarkable to see a man that just lost his brother come and talk to the boys and he did that with great resolve,” Peddie said. “It was something to behold.”
Students present at the baseball field at the time were transported to the Liberty County High School gym.
“The school board is providing grief counselors for all the students and parents,” Summers said, “and (today) they’re going to continue to provide that for all students at all the schools that may be effected by this.”
State Sen. Bill Montford went to the scene to provide support to those affected.
“At this time, all indications are that this was a tragic accident. Investigators are continuing to gather information, and an exam will be conducted by the medical examiner’s office,” the sheriff said in a Sunday evening statement on Facebook.
Follow Tori Schneider on Twitter: @photoriphy
