Arkansas man, 55, identified as skydiver hurt in fall to ground at Little Rock country club

Authorities have released the identity of the skydiver who was injured when he fell to the ground during an Independence Day performance at a country club in Little Rock.

Gregory Todd, 55, of Benton was initially said to be in critical condition before being taken to UAMS Medical Center, where he was later listed as stable, according to a Little Rock Police Department report released Wednesday afternoon.

Police say Todd was injured around 7 p.m. after attempting to parachute into The Country Club of Little Rock for a holiday performance.

According to the report, an investigating officer spoke with Todd's girlfriend and a second witness who both said Todd's parachute did open.

"They advised as he was coming down to land, he became distress[ed] as though a malfunction happened with the parachute, and went into a dead spin before crashing to the ground," officer Michael Ford wrote, noting investigators took the parachute as evidence.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to inspect the diving equipment this week, police said Tuesday night.

Todd was reported to have suffered broken bones and less serious internal injuries. Officials at UAMS Medical Center told authorities that Todd's vital signs were good and his condition was stable, according to the police report.

Officer Steve Moore, a spokesman for the Little Rock Police Department, said Tuesday that it seemed Todd was "pretty lucky to be alive."

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