Somber procession: Mourners gather to remember fallen Huntington Beach PD officer Nicholas Vella. Touching tributes now on ABC7
The Huntington Beach Police Department and several other agencies will be holding a procession through the city leading up to the service. That's set to start at 7 a.m.
On Feb. 19, Vella and another officer were responding to a disturbance in Newport Beach when the helicopter hit a strip of water between Lido Isle and the Balboa Peninsula. Vella, a 14-year veteran with the police department, died in the crash. He leaves behind a wife and daughter.The helicopter crash-landed at about 6:30 p.m. while responding to a disturbance near Newport Beach, according to police.
Prior to joining the Huntington Beach Police Department in 2008, Vella was an officer with the Laguna Beach Police Department. Residents are invited to watch the procession early Tuesday morning. It'll travel along the following streets:Pacific Coast Highway, between Goldenwest Street and Magnolia AvenueTalbert Avenue, between Magnolia Avenue and Brookhurst Street