Freak Accident: Colorado Woman Dies While Filming TV Show After Getting Hit by 150mph Smoke Bombs
- Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:08am by
Jason Howerton
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Terri Flanell, 51. (Source: KOAA)
A woman was killed Thursday in a freak accident while filming a cable television show at her husband’s Colorado shooting range.
Terri Flanell, 51, was hit by a pair of foot-long smoke bombs traveling at 150mph. The first bomb knocked her down and the second went through her neck and out her naval, killing her instantly, ABC News reported.
“They went right through her body. She didn’t suffer or nothing,” her husband Mel Bernstein told the Colorado Springs Gazette after the tragedy. “She just dropped.”
The foot-long bombs were being used for special effects during the pilot taping of a new show about military vehicles when they accidentally went off and went rocketing towards the television crew, Bernstein told ABC News. Sadly enough, the smokey sequence in which Flanell was killed was the last scene of the show.
“I’ve been running this rifle range for 30 years and no one’s got hurt, because it is very safe here,” Bernstein said. “Out of eight days of filming, it happened in the last 30 seconds, the last frame. And it happened to my wife.”
“All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein said, referring to the moments before the accident.
The Dragon Man shooting range where Terri Flanell was killed. (Source: KOAA)
The weaponized smoke bombs missed Bernstein by about four inches, he explained.
“They were so close to my face, and if they would’ve hit me, I wouldn’t be here talking to you today,” Bernstein added.
The Colorado Springs Gazette also reports that this is the second incident that occurred during the filming of the pilot. A woman was treated for burns at Memorial Hospital on Wednesday and was later released. The show was supposed to air in September.
Bernstein and Flanell had been married for 16 years and they owned the Dragon Man shooting range for 33 years.
The victim's husband Mel Berstein remembered his wife. (Source: KOAA)
Mel Berstein and Terri Flanell were married for 16 years. (Source: KOAA)
Police are investigation and do not suspect foul play, however, Sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Joe Roybal said officers are not ruling anything out.
“She was the nicest lady you could ever meet and was very smart,” Bernstein said about his wife. “I lost my best friend.”
This story has been updated.
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Comments (68)
battles
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:33pm“…Sgt. Joe Roybal said officers are not ruling anything out.” This is the unfortunate mentality of prosecutors and law enforcement today. They are always out to get people on something, even when it is an obvious tragic accident.
Report Post »mdeputy7
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 9:53amIt‘s not that they’re out to get anybody….wouldn’t you want the police to make sure that nobody had tried to kill you or your wife?
Report Post »Vendia
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:48am@Battle If you knew “dragonmans” history you wouldn’t rule anything out either. There’s a reason his wife held all the gun licenses.
Report Post »EODdevon
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:19pmPorcupine- so that you know out of ALL legal/privately owned machine guns (class 3) none have ever been used in a crime, the only class 3 used in a crime was Government owned & issued to a New Mexico cop who found his naked wife with her boyfriend parked on a county road so he used his issued MP5 to show his displeasure. They didn‘t die but then again he didn’t get charged with any Federal weapons charge. Double standards show what group really thinks, now ask why if a government agent is the only one to violate the law why is so much info aimed at John Q. Public’s supposed dangerousness if he has the same equipment & why do liberals agree with that assessment?
Report Post »Ruckus_Tom
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:46pm““
All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein said, referring to the moments before the accident.
”
Would it have been bad taste if he said that while being interviewed after she died?
Report Post »ghostsouls
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:38pm“They went right through her body. She didn’t suffer or nothing,” says her husband. How the hell would he know she felt nothing? Has this happened to him before and he survived to tell? I would think that “didn’t suffer” would be along the lines of like a doctor giving you drugs before a surgery, and you never wake up. And this does not sould like a statement a bereaved husband would say. Police are investigation and do not suspect foul play, however, Sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Joe Roybal said officers are not ruling anything out.” Yeah they better keep investing the death of this guy’s “best friend”, not beloved wife. Just seems weird, might be just me though, lol
Report Post »mixplix
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 9:42pmAt 60 miles per hour in a car you are moving at 88 feet per second. Something moving at 150 miles an hour is much faster, no doubt. Science tells us it takes about 3/4 of a second to feel pain. Does this help you figure the pain time.
Report Post »woodcellar
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:40pmI would like to know if the “smoke bombs” belong to the tv crew or the gun range. Makes a big differance how you look at this.
Report Post »Taino
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:38pmDragon Man is a great place to spend a few hours blowing some steam. I introduced my kids and wife to fire arms safety there.
She was definitely a great lady, and Dragon Man runs a tight operation.
They also have one of the best military museums I have ever seen; rustic, but great.
May the Dragon Lady rest in peace!
Report Post »pinchanze
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 10:07amThis thread reminds me of 9th grade high school when one student was asked to read an article about a shooting that took place on a college campus recently. That shooting was on the Kent State campus. At the time none of us knew the impact it would later have on our culture. So the student reads the article and is asked to go in the hallway while all the remaining students in the classroom go out to the hallway one by one and are told the story(see where I’m going with this?) then at the end of the story telling, the last student is asked to tell the rest of the class about the article. Take a guess what the article was about? The moral of the story……..most people DO NOT LISTEN!
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 9:51amFreak accident? More like a bunch of fools doing stuff they no clue about…ok if you are down range get the F out of the way.
It’s safe alright…no doubt. Continue with the investigation and report back your findings. Sheesh. And how does he know if she felt no pain? Made it sound like it was OKeDokie, she died quick and felt no pain…
Report Post »amd1044
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 10:18amReading comprehension is obviously still not taught in schools. Instead of making snotty know-it-all comments why don’t you actually review the story with your eyeballs and then after each sentence go write it down and read it again. Then maybe you’re slow brain will be able to compile the thought process necessary to understand that it was a freak accident and they weapons were fired accidentally and in the wrong direction. Dumb. I’m getting so sick of commentary from blaze readers like you, you look at the headline, the picture, the title, then post a reply with an opinion.
Report Post »Unix
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 10:26amWhat, were you there to see if they are ‘fools’? Armchair quarterbacks are not needed here! Accidents do happen, and this woman was doing something she wanted to do, it’s called contributory negligence. At any rate, your such the expert, what is to be done now, according to you pile on the BS…
Report Post »scrudge
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:58amAh Yes… thats one way to get rid of a nagggging “ X ”
Report Post »GMP
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 8:14amWow, you’re a *****
Report Post »Cale245
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:43pmsicko
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:36amThis story is tragic…But I’m somewhat confused ..
~~~~~
Police are investigation and do not suspect foul play, however, Sheriff’s office spokesman
Sgt. Joe Roybal said officers are not ruling anything out.
~~~~~
Why ?…This story looks directly at the husband..
And no one else.. so we can conclude that if there was foul play..
that is who they would look at.
The story doesn’t delve into the mechanics of the “smoke bombs”
The way they were traveling ..(150mph)
They sound more like some kind of rockets that had a propellant..
Not just a “smoke bomb“.
And that would make them more like…FIRE-WORKS..!
I’m ONLY making a comparison for the left MARXIST gun control dweebs …
This freak accident is more FIREWORKS related..
than GUN related ..
Was there a pyrotechnician “present and responsible” for the care and handling
of the “smoke bomb”…?
That would remove suspicion and BLAME.. from the husband.
(a known GUN enthusiast )
This story raises questions and appears to be slanted to the left
Or at the very least shining GUNS and gun range owners in a
somewhat negative light.
The ONLY link to guns… is that it happened on a GUN- range.!
Report Post »jcldwl
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 9:17amYou obviously didn’t read the whole article. There is no mention anywhere in the article that guns were invovled at all. Yes it happened on a gun range owned by the victim and the husband. That is part of the story but again there is no mention of guns being involved.
Report Post »politicianssuck
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 10:10amI agree there was no mention of “guns” being involved. However you have to remember we live in a guilty until proven innocent society. Just ask George Zimmerman.
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 11:47amJCLDWL…
No $hiot Sherlock ..!
____________________________________________
The foot-long bombs were being used for special effects during the pilot taping
of a new show about military vehicles when they accidentally went off and went
rocketing towards the television crew
____________________________________________
I said the way the story was wrote up “leaned left” …
Report Post »Using the term SMOKE BOMB..!..AND Shined a (bad light) on the husband ,
who is the owner of the ..“rifle/ GUN range”…and a GUN enthusiast .
AND…!
NOT one mention FROM the “special effect guy/gal” or “pyrotechnician”
and what HE/SHE had to say about …
THE FIRE-WORKS SPECIAL FX…..IE …“SMOKE BOMB”
sawbuck
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:11pmYou see this kinda burns me ..Just a little..
THE GUY IS BEING INTERVIEWED..
WEARING A “SHIRT”
WITH A AUTOMATIC-WEAPON (SHOWING A GUN)
WEARING A HAT WITH THE WORDS (SHOOTING RANG).(3rd pic)……
WITH THE HEADLINES OF THE STORY HAS THE WORDS…
[ SMOKE-BOMB ]..THAT SMACKS YOU IN THE EYES.
And I make the case…
FOR THE STORY SHOWING GUNS IN A BAD LIGHT…
And I’m the ONE that is paranoid conspiracy theorist ..!
Unbelievable..
Report Post »NO_MORE_OBAMA
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 5:54amToo bad ……. Just another example of why.
Guns dont kill people – stupid people kill loved ones by being not safe.
I have a concealed carry permit and carry a 40 cal everywhere I go. Funny it has not accidentally went off yet.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 9:46amYet implies….ahhh never mind. lol
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:39amHey Blaze – it’s time that you own up to the fact that “moments before the accident” was added hours after your original post. Try being accountable for your actions.
Report Post »piper60
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:36amIt says right at the bottom that this story has been updated. Learn to read the Whole article.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:30amWhen I was in the sixth grade, my reading comprehension was scored at first year, college level. I’m telling all of you that “moments before the accident.” was NOT in the original post on this site! If it was, I certainly wouldn’t have commented about the the odd comments of the husband. I’m considered to be an intelligent woman, and I’m telling those who care, that this post was altered, and “moments before the accident.” was not present in the original post.
Report Post »antiprogressive
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 4:11amok.
So what?
Are you saying it is now FAKE or that earlier something was left out.
Hopefully the latter for sure, but why the big deal?
Ahhh, now I see your earlier comments…
See the UPDATED post at the bottom of the story?
That’s the best your gonna get.
I’ve been in that same situation here a while back.
Don’t hold your breath for that “apology”.
Report Post »We get it.
Legal Immigrant
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 8:24amReading comprehension classes are your friend.
“THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.”
What part of that don’t you understand?
What part of “What part of that don’t you understand” don’t you understand?
Do I have to type this in a language other than english for you?
Did you understand that as well?
Do you understand that you are being mocked with open an flagrant sarcasm?
Did you understand that too?
Report Post »Pogue
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:16amSome people need to learn how to read.
He was set to close down and have dinner with his wife, then the accident happened.
God rest her Soul.
Report Post »She now accompanies him on a spritual level. Spirit is forever.
We are Spiritual beings having a Human experience. Not the other way around.
mtnvortex
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:36amExactly…It’s written pretty clearly actually. And then you have the folks who insist Glenn’s name is spelled with one “N”, when it’s spelled correctly all over these pages. Big Fans…yep.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 9:25am@pogue
Report Post »We are spiritual beings having a human experience , not the other way around……
I find that very interesting, and I tend to agree with that, just never heard it put that way….thanks.
Pouncing Porcupine
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:28amTerry Flannel? Sounds like a very comfortable fabric blend.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:26amcreepshow
Report Post »Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:14am
pigbrain-
People like you make the case for partial birth abortion.
The man was refering to his thoughts just before the accident happened.
Idiot.
________________________________________________________
Where does it say that he was referring to his thoughts before the accident, because I don’t see it.?
Pouncing Porcupine
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:35amIt doesn’t say it, you twit. You just have to have some common sense about it. I knew what the guy meant.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:50am@ Pouncing Porcupine
I rest my case. You are are “assuming” things that are not in evidence. This may well be a case of a poorly written article, but so far, the article states that the woman was killed, and then he wanted to lock up and go eat. I’ve already written that this was an odd thing to say, but this is what the written article says.
Report Post »Dr Vel
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:12am“All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein said, referring to the moments before the accident.”
I think reading skills should have been focused on more intently in the early years of several of you.
“referring to the moments before the accident” Notice carefully what this states. Before He lost His wife He just wanted to leave. Why you still wonder? Because in the moments before the accident, the accident had not occurred. I can spell this more slowly if you need but remember the Blaze limits post size.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:04am@ Dr Vel.
“moments before the accident.” was NOT in the original post! This was NOT in the original post before all the previous comments! I was here before the post was changed.
Report Post »Dr Vel
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:39amDiane TX I can believe that. Very likely then the writer read yours and other comments and altered the story to clarify their original laziness and sloppiness in writing techniques. I see this lack of diligence and professionalism in most stories here. On the plus side it is far worse in the journalism field everywhere else. Having been schooled in the 50‘s and 60’s I am one of the lucky ones who actually got an education. Today’s crew graduated barely able to spell. Actually even worse than barely. Critical thinking, reading comprehension, due diligence and the desire to excel? Forget it for anyone under about 40. The few exceptions I am sure strove to improve themselves beyond what they were taught. Actually when I posted I was already highly irritated about the focus of commentators arguments. The man was still in mental shock and anguish. Why fight over time considerations of events VS statements when His brain is still unable to think clearly? What irks me is so little showing of compassion for a man minutes after losing the angel He had hoped to spend the rest of His days with. God clearly did know the future when He said in the last days the love of many would wax cold. Critical thinking would easily show He may not be speaking coherently nor thinking in correct time sequence minutes after tragic loss and His own simultaneous near death experience. The arguments going on are trivial and showing sympathy is very lacking in most of the comments here.
Report Post »BarbWire
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:08amIt was a great misfortune that the man’s quote was put in the article the way it was. News people get details wrong all the time. It appears that after she died, he wanted to just lock up and go out to eat. But, I bet he was comparing his thought of before she died to after she died. He just wanted to lock up before she died, because he thought his filming was almost done.
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:04amI think you’re right.
Report Post »greatgrandma
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:39amIf you check just above the picture of the range, you will see where it was a reference of his thoughts just b4 the accident
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:58am“All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” [Dead Woman's Husband] told the Gazette…
He didn’t want to call any family? He didn’t want to pray? He didn’t want to mourn in any more meaningful way than to eat out?
How about, “Well, looks like the old broad is dead. Who else here is hungry? I’m buying…”
WTF ???
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:09amI know, I was told by others on this thread that those were his thoughts BEFORE the accident, and I went back and re-read, but it’s not really clear. Maybe the article is poorly written.
Report Post »creepshow
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:14ampigbrain-
Report Post »People like you make the case for partial birth abortion.
The man was refering to his thoughts just before the accident happened.
Idiot.
dontgivebackjustgive
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:17amHello! It was the end of the filming. He wanted to lock up and go eat. Then she died.
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 4:57amCREEPSHOW: “pigbrain[sic]-People like you make the case for partial birth abortion. The man was referring [sic] to his thoughts just before the accident happened. Idiot.”
Oh, hey, you’re RIGHT. The article DOES SAY: “referring to the moments before the accident.”
The sudden and abrupt appearance of this “out to eat” line appearing in what is arguably a poorly written article must have distracted me. Still, even if these WERE his thoughts in his moments of grief, perhaps my attempts at humor at his expense were lacking in taste.
ANYWAY, “partial birth abortion?“ ”Idiot?“ I suppose these are being suggested as more appropriate alternatives to my vulgar ”WTF” acronym. Or maybe CREEPSHOW feels justified in such vitriol because I was so insensitive to this man’s emotions. Clearly, ANYONE can see that Mr. Bernstein has more of a right to life than I do. But then again, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, I am still a classier act than you, CREEPSHOW. (And until you learn to control yourself, I always will be.)
Report Post »hcartexas
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 11:27amDIANETX….. OMG woman… you are very dense, and petty. Who really cares? ..
Report Post »dancing bear
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:49amIf it went in her neck and came out her navel she was probably on her belly she did everything a normal person would do her time just like all of ours runs out.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:43am“All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein told the Gazette, reportedly fighting back tears.
__________________
What an odd thing to say after your wife was killed in a freak accident. Then, who am I to judge?
Report Post »usafsatcom
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:53amHello? His thoughts before his wife was killed!
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:56amThat is what he wanted to do before the accident. They where almost done and then it went off.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 4:08amGrief takes on many forms… even Laughing!
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 5:03amYes, DIANE TX, Thank You. Your quote is what I saw too. theBlaze editors have changed the line from:
““All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein told the Gazette, reportedly fighting back tears.”
to:
“All I wanted to do was lock up and go out to eat,” Bernstein said, referring to the moments before the accident.”
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:36amThat is a real shame. Sorry to hear about such a tragic accident.
Report Post »Oddly enough, I recall seeing this guy, his range, and gun collection on some show a short while ago. You just don’t forget a place named The Dragon Range.
RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:43amHe had a wild looking motorcycle with a dragon‘s neck and head reaching over the rider’s head. Just can’t think of what show this was on.
Report Post »indicolts
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:51amApparently you can, because it’s called the Dragon Man Shooting Range.
Report Post »JustJ
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 11:37amYes, Dragonman’s. The most best and most professionally run outdoor shooting range I’ve ever been to. My prayers go out to him and his family.
Report Post »ep8568
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:18amThat’s just wrong….. What a horrible thing !
Report Post »Armyof One
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:17amDamn. That’s a ****** way to go.
God bless you lady.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:17amBattle Field Luck… the fickle finger of fate!
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:42amIt’s real for I have seen it for myself.
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:13amSorry, but when you play with fire.
Report Post »Pouncing Porcupine
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:33amWhy are you sorry? All you did was point out the obvious. People who frequently expose themselves to potentially fatal situations, e.g., being married to a guy who plays with machine guns a lot, being around people who play with machine guns a lot, etc., have an exponentially greater chance of dying as a result of that exposure. No apology neccessary.
Report Post »Dr Vel
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:36amPorky I think your quills need to be resharpened. Statistics state you are far more likely to die from violent crime where you are the innocent victim in any big city you choose to name, than from playing with machine guns. Go to FBI.gov and study the stats. What can we conclude. It is damn unlikely a criminal will ever attack you while you are playing with a machine gun. You are therefore safer. Have IQ’s dropped suddenly or did you take lessons? I had 14 guns when I was 10 years old, have owned machine guns for 40 years, and never once have I been the victim of a violent crime. Nor have I ever even come close to being harmed by any of my weapons. This includes 30 years in Phoenix sleeping with a loaded chambered merely on safe KG9 under my pillow. Yes you read that right. It is a tool, an extension of yourself, and very safe if proper handling is highly ingrained in your thought for many years. The idiots who think they have a handle on gun safety after a few hours on the range with no previous experience, well that may be another story. This story is a great example. Why did the accident happen? Because the devices were in a launching device able to fire at a time they were not needed. Had they been safely stored until the moment of use nothing would have gone wrong. Cleaning a gun while loaded is a big fatality stat if you look it up. Who in their right mind would touch a firearm without proving the precise state of readiness of the weapon?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 5:13amI think the Stats will show… Farming is More Dangerous… but we ignore it, because we like food!
Report Post »