“He had a right to shoot at this drone, and I’m gonna dismiss this charge”, said Ward.
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Meanwhile, in other low-flying, unmanned aerial vehicle news, a New Mexico court has found that state police crossed the Fourth Amendment line into illegal search when a police helicopter flew low enough to peek into a greenhouse to check out a marijuana growing operation – low enough to kick up dust and debris, send a neighbor’s solar panel flying, terrify neighbors, and damage their shrubbery. There are no laws in Kentucky that specifically regulate or prohibit private drones.
The drone’s pilot, David Boggs, described the hearing as “unbelievable”, claiming that Ward did not review video evidence he submitted showing that the drone was over 200 feet in the air when it was shot down.
Judge Rebecca Ward, who presided over the case in Bullitt County District Court, dismissed all charges against William Meredith, the man who was dubbed the “drone slayer”, after three witnesses confirmed that the unmanned aircraft was flying around his property. According to Boggs, it seems that he is now considering filing a civil suit against Merideth, “My original thing was for him to just replace the drone, but it’s much bigger than that now-he lies and then doubles down on his lies”. Boggs said. “His neighbors, he knows, everybody knows that no way (were) we under 100-and-something feet. That never happened”, Boggs said.
Experts at University of Louisville’s Speed School of Engineering say get ready for more cases like this.
Merideth also was facing a charge for firing his gun in a residential neighborhood.
“Was it handled the right way, I don’t think so but justice came out in the end”, said Merideth. “I was being watched”.
Boggs said he was with a group of people while flying the drone who would tell a different story if asked to testify. He’s eager for the chance.
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“This is a victory for him today, I guess. But it’s far from over”, he said.
