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The owner of an aerial photography company was sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday for the Pride Parade incident Betgaranti in 2015 in which his drone injured two people. (file photo)
The owner of an aerial photography company was sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday for the Pride Parade incident in 2015 in which his drone injured two people. (file photo)
The owner of an aerial photography company was sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday for the Pride Parade incident in 2015 in which his drone injured two people.
Paul M. Skinner reportedly plans to appeal his sentence and will not have to serve time while the appeal is pending.
Judge Willie Gregory told Skinner in court Friday that he understood the incident was an accident, but that he “engaged in conduct that put people in danger of being injured, which is what happened,” according to a statement from Seattle Municipal Court.
The two-pound, 18-by-18-inch drone crashed into a building on Fourth Avenue and hit a 25-year-old woman in the head near Fourth Avenue and Madison Street while she watched the 2015 Pride Parade, Seattle police reports said at the time. She was knocked unconscious, but her boyfriend caught her before she hit the ground.
The woman reportedly suffered a concussion and another man was bruised, the Municipal Court reported.
Skinner reportedly turned himself in to authorities after reports of the drone crash and resulting injuries emerged.
A jury convicted Skinner of reckless endangerment last month.
City Attorney Pete Holmes sought 90 days of jail time for Skinner. He said the faulty operation of drones is “a serious public safety issue that will only get worse,” given the increasing prevalence of drones on the market.
Assistant City Prosecutor Raymond Lee said Seattle residents “should not fear a drone strike falling from the sky” and claimed the defendant created the situation that caused the harm, according to the Municipal Court.
A May 25 hearing will settle restitution for the woman’s medical treatment.
Though Skinner will not see jail time pending his appeal, he is required to meet other conditions imposed by the court.
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