Fugitive caught 24 years after suspicious plane crash that killed girlfriend - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Awsi Dooger · 09-02-2006, 05:03 AM

This case was profiled on AMW, not UM, but sufficiently weird it deserves a mention. Got some Larry Race similarities to it, actually far beyond what authorities claim Race did.

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a...00010000000001

KALISPELL, Montana (Sept. 1) - A Canadian man sought by authorities after crashing a rented airplane into a lake and swimming away as it sank with his girlfriend inside has been arrested in Texas after 24 years as a fugitive.

Jaroslaw "Jerry" Ambrozuk was arrested Wednesday on a warrant for negligent homicide in the Aug. 22, 1982, death of 18-year-old Dianne Babcock.

<snip>

Authorities said Ambrozuk, then 19, and Babcock were supposed to have been flying from Penticton, British Columbia to Vancouver, British Columbia, when he somehow veered off course into Montana.

Authorities said Ambrozuk's strange behavior after the crash raised suspicion.

He did not report the crash or his girlfriend's death to authorities, he apparently built a campfire on the shore of the lake to dry off and then vanished.

Authorities know that Ambrozuk called a friend after the crash, saying the plane was at the bottom of Little Bitterroot Lake near Marion. He said he swam free of the wreckage but Babcock's seat belt was jammed and he was unable to free her.

"We didn't really believe we would find the plane in Bitterroot Lake," said Sheriff Jim Dupont, who was a deputy at the time of the crash.

But a search found evidence along the shore of a campfire. In the burned debris, Dupont - a pilot - recognized plane parts. Searchers found the Cessna 150 in 220 feet of water.

Dupont said it didn't appear Ambrozuk tried to help Babcock.

"She wasn't injured to the point she couldn't get out of the aircraft," he said. "Why wouldn't he help her get out?"

Missing from the plane were cash and other items. A sealed, waterproof trash bag with a rope attached was found on the lake shore. People who later said they saw someone who looked like Ambrozuk on the shore said he was wet, but carrying a dry duffel bag. Authorities wondered if Ambrozuk had sealed the duffel inside the trash bag and removed it when he got to shore.

The mystery of the crash and Ambrozuk's disappearance was featured twice on the television program America's Most Wanted.

Ireneparalegal · 09-02-2006, 10:41 AM

F********Bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like premeditated murder to me.

kadrmas15 · 09-03-2006, 02:45 AM

Well I am glad to see this guy was caught. However I dont think he is guilty of premeditated murder. I doubt he planned on killing his girlfriend by crashing the plane and then swimming away. Criminal negligent homicide is the right charge. Because the plane crashed unexpectedly and then he saved his own butt and left his girlfriend to die. He wont get as much time as he would for a regular murder charge but he will get more than he would for manslaughter. I imagine he will get anywhere from 10 to 20 years in prison.

Awsi Dooger · 09-03-2006, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadrmas15

Well I am glad to see this guy was caught. However I dont think he is guilty of premeditated murder. I doubt he planned on killing his girlfriend by crashing the plane and then swimming away. Criminal negligent homicide is the right charge. Because the plane crashed unexpectedly and then he saved his own butt and left his girlfriend to die. He wont get as much time as he would for a regular murder charge but he will get more than he would for manslaughter. I imagine he will get anywhere from 10 to 20 years in prison.

I don't know, that aspect of the rope with the plastic bag and the dry duffel bag hints toward a planned event. Not that I've ever heard of this case or studied it, so perhaps the article slants or leaves out some aspects.

It does seem bizarre to crash a plane and be certain you would make it out. And that age is very young for a murder of this type. They were 19 and 18 and not married, so what was he gaining or what was his desperation to kill his girlfriend?

I guess a first step would be to determine if he had been in Montana before renting the plane, and could have planted the bag in the water. It better be a prominent and large lake or that is really asking a lot, for a 19 year old pilot to identify a specific lake from the air and intentionally crash a plane into it.

09-02-2006, 05:03 AM	#1
Awsi Dooger Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 18, 2003 Location: Miami Posts: 1,537	Fugitive caught 24 years after suspicious plane crash that killed girlfriend This case was profiled on AMW, not UM, but sufficiently weird it deserves a mention. Got some Larry Race similarities to it, actually far beyond what authorities claim Race did. http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a...00010000000001 KALISPELL, Montana (Sept. 1) - A Canadian man sought by authorities after crashing a rented airplane into a lake and swimming away as it sank with his girlfriend inside has been arrested in Texas after 24 years as a fugitive. Jaroslaw "Jerry" Ambrozuk was arrested Wednesday on a warrant for negligent homicide in the Aug. 22, 1982, death of 18-year-old Dianne Babcock. <snip> Authorities said Ambrozuk, then 19, and Babcock were supposed to have been flying from Penticton, British Columbia to Vancouver, British Columbia, when he somehow veered off course into Montana. Authorities said Ambrozuk's strange behavior after the crash raised suspicion. He did not report the crash or his girlfriend's death to authorities, he apparently built a campfire on the shore of the lake to dry off and then vanished. Authorities know that Ambrozuk called a friend after the crash, saying the plane was at the bottom of Little Bitterroot Lake near Marion. He said he swam free of the wreckage but Babcock's seat belt was jammed and he was unable to free her. "We didn't really believe we would find the plane in Bitterroot Lake," said Sheriff Jim Dupont, who was a deputy at the time of the crash. But a search found evidence along the shore of a campfire. In the burned debris, Dupont - a pilot - recognized plane parts. Searchers found the Cessna 150 in 220 feet of water. Dupont said it didn't appear Ambrozuk tried to help Babcock. "She wasn't injured to the point she couldn't get out of the aircraft," he said. "Why wouldn't he help her get out?" Missing from the plane were cash and other items. A sealed, waterproof trash bag with a rope attached was found on the lake shore. People who later said they saw someone who looked like Ambrozuk on the shore said he was wet, but carrying a dry duffel bag. Authorities wondered if Ambrozuk had sealed the duffel inside the trash bag and removed it when he got to shore. The mystery of the crash and Ambrozuk's disappearance was featured twice on the television program America's Most Wanted.

09-02-2006, 10:41 AM	#2
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,689	F********Bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like premeditated murder to me.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

09-03-2006, 02:45 AM	#3
kadrmas15 Retired from Board 03/03/11 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,910	Well I am glad to see this guy was caught. However I dont think he is guilty of premeditated murder. I doubt he planned on killing his girlfriend by crashing the plane and then swimming away. Criminal negligent homicide is the right charge. Because the plane crashed unexpectedly and then he saved his own butt and left his girlfriend to die. He wont get as much time as he would for a regular murder charge but he will get more than he would for manslaughter. I imagine he will get anywhere from 10 to 20 years in prison.