LOS ANGELES
A Hollywood man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal criminal charge that he recklessly operated a drone that crashed into and damaged the fuselage of a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter, officials stated.
Andrew Rene Hernandez, 22, plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft.
U.S. District Judge George H. Wu scheduled an April 12 sentencing hearing. Hernandez is facing up to a year in federal prison.
According to his plea agreement, on September 18, 2020, at approximately 12:18 a.m., Hernandez heard police vehicles driving near his residence and a police helicopter flying overhead.
Curious about the commotion, officials stated Hernandez launched a drone that he owned toward the police activity and in the helicopter’s direction.
An LAPD helicopter operated by two police officers was flying towards a reported emergency at a pharmacy in Hollywood. As the helicopter approached the pharmacy, the pilot saw the drone and attempted to evade the unmanned aircraft, according to authorities.
Despite the evasive efforts, the drone struck the helicopter, forcing the pilot to initiate an emergency landing.
According to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case, “if the drone had struck the helicopter’s main rotor instead of the fuselage, it could have brought the helicopter down.”
LAPD officers located parts of the drone near the pharmacy and discovered a vehicle damaged by the drone as it fell from the sky. Further investigation, including a review of the drone’s camera and secure digital (SD) card, led to the identification of Hernandez as the drone’s operator, according to court documents.