Gig Harbor Man Convicted In Case Of Drone That Injured Woman

SEATTLE, WA - City Attorney Pete Holmes announced on Friday that the city had won a case against a drone operator whose drone knocked a woman unconscious at the Seattle gay pride parade in 2015.

Paul M. Skinner, of Gig Harbor, was convicted by a jury of reckless endangerment Friday after a four-day trial. Reckless endangerment is a gross misdemeanor, and Skinner could face up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine, Holmes said.

This is the first time the city has pressed charges against a drone operator over their conduct using one of the devices.

Skinner's drone fell out of the sky near the intersection of 4th Avenue and Madison Street on June 29, 2015. The drone, which weighed about 2 pounds and measured 18 by 18 inches, fell into a crowd and struck the 25-year-old woman on the head. She was knocked unconscious, but her boyfriend stopped her from falling.

Skinner came forward to police a few days after the incident to identify himself as the operator of the drone.

Image via Pixabay