3 Accused in ValuJet Crash Free on Bond

Three ex-employees of former ValuJet maintenance contractor SabreTech Inc. were freed on bond in Miami, two days after they were charged in the fiery 1996 crash of a ValuJet DC-9 that killed 110 people. Former SabreTech Vice President Daniel Gonzalez and former mechanics Eugene Florence and Mauro Valenzuela appeared before U.S. Magistrate William Turnoff, and each agreed to post a $50,000 bond and surrender travel documents. They were scheduled to return to court Aug. 2 to be arraigned on federal charges of recklessly causing the transport of hazardous material and other charges related to the crash. If convicted, each of the three men could face up to 55 years in prison and fines of $2.7 million. ValuJet Flight 592 plunged into the Everglades shortly after takeoff from Miami.