EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso pilot Charles “Cheater” Bella, who gained fame for involvement in movies and having a colorful past, died on Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, the El Paso Times reported and multiple friends are saying on social media.
The El Paso Times said Bella did of a heart attack but did not give an age in its report.
Bella gained fame for his involvement with movies like “Lone Wolf McQuade,” “Extreme Prejudice” and “Rambo 3.”
Bella — also known as “Cheater” from his days racing cars — was involved in an infamous 1988 jailbreak attempt in New Mexico.
Bella attempted to fly three inmates from the Penitentiary of New Mexico near Santa Fe. He said he was forced to participate at gunpoint and was subsequently acquitted by a jury.
Bella also survived a helicopter crash in 2003 near Alpine, Texas, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Both walked away with what were called minor injuries, according to media reports at the time.
He was also known for his love of animals.
Friend Kellie Kendrick Harris made the following post on Bella’s Facebook page, saying in part:
“Cheater…… what can I even say. The last 50 years have been filled with crazy memories of you and Carol rescuing any and all kinds of species and calling my dad to come help get them into one form of cage or another!!! Or the calls for help with a truck to pick up a helicopter or airplane in some random spot! My dad always went! He loved you! And then there were the calls to me… hey Kellie, get over here, you got to see this new baby ‘whatever animal’ we just got!”
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