Wednesday, October 3, 2001
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Wednesday, October 3, 2001 |
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Teen pilot now faces 'terroristic' charges By JOHN MUNFORD
The teenage student pilot accused of buzzing the Fayette County Kiwanis Fair last week remains in custody after officials have filed felony charges against him. Felony charges of making terroristic threats and acts have been filed against the 16-year-old McDonough youth, confirmed Maj. Bruce Jordan of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. The youth remained incarcerated at the Youth Detention Center in Griffin, Jordan added. A hearing in the case has been set for Thursday. Originally, the youth was charged with misdemeanors: two counts of reckless conduct and two counts of unlawful flight over Georgia land, Jordan said. But juvenile court officials later pressured the department to add the more serious felony charges, Jordan said. "We didn't want to charge him with that," Jordan said, referring to the felony charges. The teen, a McDonough resident, is believed to have been in control of the plane both times it buzzed the crowd, Jordan said. During one fly-by, the plane narrowly missed the ferris wheel and during another it skirted over a ride called the Kamikaze, according to officials. Jordan confirmed the youth had a student pilot's license. Federal Aviation Administration officials will not comment on the case until the investigation is complete. Georgia law specifically outlines only two situations in which a person can be considered making a terroristic act, either when: "He uses a burning or flaming cross or other burning or flaming symbol or flambeau with the intent to terrorize another or another's household; or "While not in the commission of a lawful act, he shoots at or throws an object at a conveyance which is being operated or which is occupied by passengers." The instructor who was flying with the teen, Andrew Waits, 22, of Fayetteville, has been charged with two counts of reckless conduct, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two counts of conducting an unlawful flight; all are misdemeanor charges. He has posted an $8,000 bond and agreed to bond conditions which forbid him to operate an aircraft or serve as a flight instructor until the case is resolved.
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