A man has agreed to plead guilty to operating his drone unsafely, leading to a collision with a firefighting aircraft during the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. He will avoid prison time but must pay for the damage and perform community service.
A man has agreed to plead guilty to the unsafe operation of a drone that collided with a firefighting aircraft during the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles . Federal authorities announced the agreement on Friday. Peter Tripp Akemann will avoid prison time but will be required to pay full restitution for the damage to the aircraft and complete 150 hours of community service dedicated to wildfire relief. Acting U.S.
Attorney Joseph McNally stated that Akemann reached a plea agreement, avoiding imprisonment but accepting responsibility for the incident. The misdemeanor charge Akemann faced carries a potential sentence of up to a year in prison.The collision occurred during the raging Palisades Fire, which began on January 7th, tearing through the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The fire, fueled by dry Santa Ana winds, destroyed or damaged nearly 8,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, tragically claiming at least 12 lives. The conflagration scorched at least 36 square miles of land and was 98% contained as of Friday. Authorities revealed that Akemann launched the drone from a parking structure in Santa Monica on January 9th and flew it over 1.5 miles toward the Palisades Fire before losing visual contact. The drone subsequently crashed into a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft carrying two firefighters.Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, emphasized that there was no evidence suggesting Akemann intentionally caused the collision. He stressed that a lack of common sense and ignorance of a drone pilot's responsibilities would not shield them from criminal charges. Davis highlighted the significance of drone operators adhering to strict FAA guidelines regarding registration and flight areas, especially during emergencies like active wildfires. The aircraft's pilot managed to land the damaged plane despite a hole in the left wing caused by the drone impact. This incident underscores the potential dangers of drones operating near emergency response efforts
DRONE FIRE ACCIDENT LOS ANGELES PALISADES FIRE WILDLIFE RESCUE
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