City officials were joined by members of the Newport Beach and Huntington Beach police departments Feb. 19 as a memorial plaque was unveiled in tribute to fallen Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella.
The event took place at Marina Park in Newport Beach on the first anniversary of his death.
“One year has passed, and there are still no words that can adequately express this loss,” Huntington Beach Chief of Police Eric Parra said in a statement. “We will always remember Nick on this day. He was a selfless and driven police officer and man who we were blessed to have known.”
One year ago, Vella and another officer responded in Helicopter HB-1 to a call regarding a fight near Balboa Boulevard and 18th Street in Newport Beach, one of two cities the Huntington Beach Air Support unit serves under contract.
The report said the chopper began a spinning descent as the pilot failed to regain control, the lower it fell the more aggressive the rotating became.
At first, Vella was heard saying they were having mechanical issues over the police radio channel, before announcing “‘we’re going down, we’re going down.'”
The report said the pilot recalled the dark night making it difficult to locate the horizon or an accurate reference point, but knew a crash was unavoidable as the lights of houses drew closer. Then he “pulled the collective control (thrust lever) in an effort to bleed off airspeed,” according to the report.
Upon impact, the helicopter crashed in a downward right rotation, on Vella’s side, into the ocean.
The pilot recalled water and glass rushing toward him after a sudden smash, he could feel the rotor blades hitting the water until everything stopped and he was submerged underwater, according to the report.
He retrieved his mouthpiece from his rescue air bottle, released his seat harness, and scrambled to get through the wreckage before swimming to the surface, the report said. Witnesses nearby helped pull him onto a boat to safety.
Vella was a 14-year veteran, who first began his career in 2008 with the Laguna Beach Police Department before transferring to Huntington Beach the same year. He has experience in a variety of tasks including patrol, SWAT, beach detail, and tactical flight officer, according to Huntington Beach officials.
He was assigned the air support unit in 2016, where he earned the positions of certified flight instructor and police helicopter pilot.
“Officer Nick Vella’s service and selfless sacrifice to the City of Newport Beach will never be forgotten. This memorial plaque is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to protecting and serving others,” Newport Beach Acting Chief of Police Joe Cartwright said in a statement.
“The City of Newport Beach is honored to celebrate the life and sacrifice of Officer Pilot Vella ... His bravery and valor shall be remembered forever,” Mayor of Newport Beach Noah Blom said in a statement.
A 3-mile stretch of roadway in Huntington Beach was recently named the Officer Nicholas Vella Memorial Highway in his honor.
Huntington Beach Mayor Tony Strickland said in a statement, “While I didn’t have the honor of meeting Nick, the many stories I have heard about his dedication to our City, his family, and his law enforcement brothers and sisters make clear what a tremendous father, husband, son, friend, and officer he was.”
Vella is survived by his wife, Kristi, and daughter, Dylan.
