Delco Man Killed In New Jersey Skydiving Accident

GARNET VALLEY, PA — A Delaware County man is dead following a skydiving accident in New Jersey on Wednesday.

The skydiver fell to the ground in Monroe Township's Stirling Glenn neighborhood shortly before 1:30 p.m., NJ.com reported. He died after jumping from a plane that took off from Skydive Cross Keys, the company said in a statement.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office identified the man as Timothy Joseph Slachta, 48, of Garnet Valley.

The agency, Monroe police and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the parachute failure.

According to a Skydive Cross Keys statement, Slachta was an experienced diver who had completed over 700 jumps across more than a decade. His parachute deployed at a normal altitude upon exiting the plane and appeared fully inflated, the company said.

"Skydive Cross Keys' staff and community are deeply saddened by the loss of a loved and respected member of our community," a Skydive Cross Keys spokesperson said in the statement.

Residents of Monroe Township witnessed the accident, according to a WPVI-TV report.

"He was coming down, and he was swirling down, it almost looked like he wasn't awake," Larry Guagenti told the station.