Airmen killed in hit and run

Monday, 01 September 2008 13:44 Last Updated on Thursday, 18 September 2008 02:57 Written by Angel McCurdy

A local bodybuilder was hit and killed by a vehicle that fled early Sunday evening. Wife is critically injured.

Daniel Lee Schoen, 32, of Navarre was walking the family's dogs with his wife, Erin Schoen, 31, when they were struck, according to published reports.The couple was walking southbound on Pawnee Drive and the vehicle fled southbound. The accident occurred at 7:30 p.m., according to FHP reports.Daniel Schoen, a Hurlburt Field technical sergeant, was pronounced dead at the scene.Erin, a staff sergeant at Hulburt Field, was transported by ambulance to Baptist Medical Center in Pensacola, where she was in critical condition early Monday afternoon. An arrest had been made and the vehicle located around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, according to published reports.Florida Highway Patrol was looking for an older model Ford F-150 pick-up truck with front-end damage. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Cpl. Chris Nussbaumer of FHP at 484-5000 ext 320.

For more information and updates, see the Sept. 4 issue of the Navarre Press.

The following story about Dan Schoen appeared in the April 24, 2008 issue of Navarre Press:

Dan the man ‘Schoen’ his muscles

By John Richardson

Navarre Press

When Dan Schoen graduated from high school in Aztec, N.M. and joined the Air Force, he weighed a whopping 140 pounds. If those classmates could see him now, they would see quite a difference. Schoen has been in training for the 28th annual Southern USA Bodybuilding Classic in Panama City on April 19.The weigh-in was held April 18. Prejudging was held this past Saturday and the five best in each weight category were invited back for the evening contest. It was during the evening portion that Schoen won the Men’s Open Heavyweight Division, beating out Serge Olivia Jr., son of Serge Olivia Sr., who won his Mr. Olympia title three years in a row in 1967, 1968 and 1969.
After the winners were announced in each category, they competed against each other for the overall championship, which Schoen lost by one point.
“When you decide to enter a competition, you focus everything on that competition date,” said Schoen. “It is important to peak on that day and not a week before or after. The first thing you have to do is change your diet. Diet is crucial to this sport. I use four months to get ready, because that first month you tend to cheat a couple of times. About two months into the diet, I restrict all carbohydrates to 15 to 20 grams a week.”
Schoen’s wife, Erin, helps him with his diet. She is also a bodybuilder and has won the Southern USA Bodybuilding Classic in her category.
Schoen works out two hours a day, six days a week. “I do cardio for 30 minutes every day. I usually use the elliptical trainer or the inclined treadmill. I emphasize a different body part when I do the weights each day,” he said. Schoen’s weight training regime lasts for another 90 minutes per day.
    “The next contest I will be preparing for is the All Forces Nationals held in Tampa on Oct. 25. It is open to all active-duty, guard, reserve, retirees and honorably discharged veterans, as well as Department of Defense civilians and dependants of veterans. It is a Level VI national championship, which is another stepping stone to (becoming a professional athlete in the sport).”
    Schoen, 31, is a weapons specialist with the 4th AMU at Hurlburt Field. When he is not on duty, there’s a good chance that he can be found at Navarre Fitness. Schoen has been lifting weights for the last 13 years, and started body building seven years ago.
    “I was in the gym working out and a few of my friends told me I should try it,” he said. “I have been doing it ever since then.”
    Since discovering his natural “talent,” Schoen has won the Mr. Anchorage title and the Northern Lights Classic. He also won the Southern USA Bodybuilding Classic two years ago.
    “This contest was a stepping stone to the national competition,” said Schoen. “When I won two years ago, I was unable to get the necessary time off from my job to compete in the nationals. My goal is to get my pro card in November at the national championship in Atlanta.”
    He usually works out with Bryce Secondine, a certified weight trainer and previous winner of the lightweight division in the Mr. Oklahoma contest, or Dave Chavez. Together, the three formed Rock Solid Training that helps students using weights.
    “We try to get them to use the right technique,” said Schoen. “It is not about how much weight you lift, but rather what you do with that weight. This is a sport that they can participate in for many years if they learn the correct methodology.”