Colorado man charged with shooting farmer as he flew light aircraft toward his cornfield

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Colorado man charged with shooting farmer as he flew light aircraft toward his cornfield
Reuters
15 Sep 2015 at 17:16 ET


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Frank Urban, 49, is shown in this Adams County, Colorado Sheriff's Office photo released on September 15, 2015. REUTERS/Adams County, Colorado Sheriff's Office/HandoutFrank Urban, 49, is shown in this Adams County, Colorado Sheriff's Office photo released on September 15, 2015. REUTERS/Adams County, Colorado Sheriff's Office/Handout
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A hunter in Colorado has been charged with firing a shotgun and wounding the pilot of an ultralight aircraft who was flying over a field where the alleged shooter was stalking doves, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Frank Urban, 49, faces one felony count of second-degree assault and another of menacing with a weapon, the Adams County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Commander Susan Nielsen of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to reports of shots fired on Sept. 1 outside the town of Byers, about 40 miles east of Denver.

James Johnson, 50, told the officers he was flying the ultralight aircraft toward his cornfield to check on its irrigation system when he was fired on from below, Nielsen said.


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/colorado-hunter-charged-with-shooting-pilot-of-ultralight-aircraft/

[truebluegreen]

1. Another responsible gun owner, this one in serious need

of glasses, at the very least. Did he think the ultralight was a dove?

[Major Nikon]

3. No way it could have been by accident

Shot used for dove is very small in size and has a very limited range. If he was close enough to injure the pilot, he knew what he was doing.

[truebluegreen]

9. Thanks for the info.

I wouldn't have known those details but yes, it seemed apparent that he really wasn't "dove" hunting--was he actually in the farmer's own field?

[Major Nikon]

10. According to the article he was hunting legally

In some states you can legally hunt on anyone's land so long as they don't have signs posted.

[dhill926]

2. looks like some fucked up DNA at work there...

[Ichigo Kurosaki]

4. I wonder if he was growing pot and didn't want it found. [nt]

[awoke_in_2003]

6. or cooking meth...

welcome to DU

[Ichigo Kurosaki]

7. Thanks

for the Welcome.
From looking at his eyes he must have been pretty loaded.....

[Journeyman]

5. Well, he just took George W's advice a little too far, is all . . .

[center]". . . if you find a person that you've never seen before
getting in a crop duster that doesn't belong to you -- report it."

~ George W. Bush, press conference, 11 October 2011

[lonestarnot]

8. Looks like a shootemintheface cousin.

[jmowreader]

11. They need to whip a little 18 USC 32 on him

Whoever willfully -
(1) sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce;
(2) places or causes to be placed a destructive device or substance in, upon, or in proximity to, or otherwise makes or causes to be made unworkable or unusable or hazardous to work or use, any such aircraft, or any part or other materials used or intended to be used in connection with the operation of such aircraft, if such placing or causing to be placed or such making or causing to be made is likely to endanger the safety of any such aircraft;
(3) sets fire to, damages, destroys, or disables any air navigation facility, or interferes by force or violence with the operation of such facility, if such fire, damaging, destroying, disabling, or interfering is likely to endanger the safety of any such aircraft in flight;
(4) with the intent to damage, destroy, or disable any such aircraft, sets fire to, damages, destroys, or disables or places a destructive device or substance in, upon, or in proximity to, any appliance or structure, ramp, landing area, property, machine, or apparatus, or any facility or other material used, or intended to be used, in connection with the operation, maintenance, loading, unloading or storage of any such aircraft or any cargo carried or intended to be carried on any such aircraft;
(5) interferes with or disables, with intent to endanger the safety of any person or with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life, anyone engaged in the authorized operation of such aircraft or any air navigation facility aiding in the navigation of any such aircraft;
(6) performs an act of violence against or incapacitates any individual on any such aircraft, if such act of violence or incapacitation is likely to endanger the safety of such aircraft;
(7) communicates information, knowing the information to be false and under circumstances in which such information may reasonably be believed, thereby endangering the safety of any such aircraft in flight; or
(8) attempts or conspires to do anything prohibited under paragraphs (1) through (7) of this subsection;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years or both.