Peter Tripp Akemann, a Southern California man, admitted to recklessly operating a drone that collided with a firefighting airplane during the Palisades Fire last month. Akemann agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, which carries a potential sentence of up to one year in federal prison. The collision occurred on the third day of the wildfire in Los Angeles County, grounding the Canadian firefighting aircraft temporarily.
Akemann drove to downtown Santa Monica and launched the drone from a parking structure to observe damage caused by the fire. The drone flew more than 1.5 miles towards the fire, eventually colliding with the Quebec firefighting plane carrying two crewmembers. This impact caused a hole in the plane’s left wing, resulting in damages totaling over $65,000.
As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the Quebec government and complete 150 hours of community service supporting the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort. The sentencing date has not been scheduled yet.
The Palisades Fire, which burned over 23,000 acres, and the Eaton Fire, which raged through Altadena, are now both 100% contained. These fires, which began during a historic wind event, caused significant destruction in the Pacific Palisades area, killing at least 29 people, burning over 37,000 acres, and destroying homes and livelihoods.
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