OXFORD, Miss — A plane in route to Oxford has crashed. Six people on board have died.
According to AL.com among the deceased include Dr. Jason Farese and his wife Dr. Lea Farese of Farese Family Dental.
Tuscaloosa police tell HottyToddy.com the plane was returning from a seminar in Kissimmee, Fla and crashed around 11:20 a.m. this morning behind the farmer’s market in Northport, Alabama.
Northport police confirm three men and three women were on board – husbands and wives.
Media consultant and broadcast veteran Lee Habeeb confirmed Oxford periodontist Dr. Michael Perry was also on the plane. A personal friend of Dr. Perry, the two just had lunch this past Tuesday.
“Michael was one of the most giving and courageous guys I’ve ever met,” said Habeeb. “He would give you the shirt off his back for people.”
Perry privately funded the Oxford-Lafayette Sportsplex located in the south part of the county.
The FAA said the Piper PA-31 called in engine problems and then crashed into a heavily wooded area. Oxonian Rosie Vassallo says Dr. Farese recently purchased the plane.
University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter called for prayer in a Twitter post.
“Heartbreaking loss for the LOU community. Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.”
Two of the dentist couples had three children each and one of the dentist’s had five children.
Calls to the Tuscaloosa County coroner’s office have yet to be returned.
HottyToddy.com will report as more information is available.
Russ Jones is the Editor-In-Chief for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at russ.jones@hottytoddy.com.
