The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is mourning two of their finest officers who passed away in less than a week.
Homicide Investigator Deputy First Class Michael Erickson collapsed on Wednesday while at the YMCA Aquatic Center. According to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office, Fire Rescue officers responded and worked a code while DFC Erickson was being transported to Dr. Phillips Hospital. DFC Erickson was pronounced at the hospital.
DFC Erickson was a 13-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and leaves behind a wife and two sons.
Meanwhile, Deputy Sheriff Sebastian Diana, who had been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1999 and currently assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, passed away on Saturday, March 12, 2011.
DFC Diana had been battling major health challenges since 2006, when he contracted an illness from performing CPR on a three-month old baby, a statement from the Sheriff’s Office said. As DFC Diana performed life saving efforts on the child, he came into contact with the child’s bodily fluids-vomit. This experience did not prevent DFC Diana from again performing CPR on another infant in 2007 and whose life was saved on account his actions.
DFC Diana is survived by his wife and four children.
