1 brother killed, another injured trying to remove drone from tree

FOREST PARK, Ga. — A man whose brother was killed trying to remove a drone from a tree said he almost died too.

The brothers were shocked, killing Reff Teasley, 37. Calvin Teasley was badly hurt and sent the hospital.

The men were shocked when the metal pole they were using hit a power line.

The drone that led to the death of Reff Teasley still sat in the front yard of the Neddle Drive home when Channel 2's Tom Jones showed up Tuesday afternoon. The metal pole was still there too.

Calvin Teasley told Jones that it was Saturday evening when he and his brother tried to use the pole to dislodge his drone from this tree.

He said Jones that he first tried to use a piece of wood he taped together to get the drone down. When that didn't work, Calvin said a neighbor brought over the long metal pole.

As Calvin and his brother used the pole to try and dislodge the drone, somehow the pole hit power lines, sending powerful electrical currents into the brothers.

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The shock knocked the brothers over onto a nearby storm drain.

Reff died from his wounds.

Calvin suffered burns to his hands and foot.

Channel 2 Action News photojournalist and drone pilot Alan Hand said people who fly drones as a hobby have to be extra careful where they fly.

“You should always stay away from utility poles,” Hand said.

Hand warned to be even more careful when a drone gets stuck in a tree.

“I would let a tree climber get it and he knows what to do and how to stay away from power lines,” Hand said.

Calvin told Jones that he is lost without his brother and is still dealing with his death, so he wasn't ready for an on-camera interview.

He said the drone had been stuck in this tree at least three weeks.

Cox Media Group