In Pennsylvania, a pilot who was accused of flying drunk last year has lost his airplane. The Cherokee was sold for $34,000, and now a judge has decreed that the proceeds belong to the district attorney’s office. Asst. D.A. James Staerk argued pilot John Salamone’s actions were “egregious” and warranted forfeiture of the airplane, and the court agreed. Salamone was convicted of risking a catastrophe and endangering others after flying recklessly for four hours in January 2004. His arrest prompted the state legislature to propose a new law against drunken flying, after prosecutors (and the public) were aghast to find that no such law existed. Salamone’s money goes into an account that funds crime-fighting measures.
Pennsylvania Pilot Forfeits Airplane
Key Takeaways:
- A Pennsylvania pilot, John Salamone, had his airplane forfeited and sold for $34,000, with the proceeds going to the district attorney's office, after being convicted of reckless flying.
- The court agreed to the forfeiture, ruling that Salamone's actions of flying recklessly for four hours were "egregious."
- Salamone's case in January 2004 exposed the absence of a specific law against drunken flying in Pennsylvania, prompting state legislators to propose new legislation.
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