Judge Dismisses Charges Against Man Who Shot Down Drone Creeping on His Daughter

His 16-year-old daughter was sunbathing in the backyard.

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Complex Original

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Back in August a Kentucky man was arrested after shooting done a drone he believed was creeping on his 16-year-old daughter sunbathing in the backyard. William H. Meredith believed he was well within his rights to take down the drone hovering over his property, and last week a judge agreed, dismissing all charges against him. 

Meredith was originally charged with wanton endangerment and criminal mischief after taking a birdshot to the $1,800 drone. Its owner, David Boggs, claimed he was photographing another house and wasn't focused on Meredith's property. He produced flight data showing he never went below 200 feet, but several witnesses testified to the contrary. The judge took that into account in deciding Meredith's privacy had been violated. 

Meredith told WDRB:

Well, I came out and it was down by the neighbor’s house, about 10 feet off the ground, looking under their canopy that they’ve got in their backyard...I went and got my shotgun and I said, 'I’m not going to do anything unless it's directly over my property.' Within a minute or so, here it came. It was hovering over top of my property, and I shot it out of the sky.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who's running for president expressed a similar sentiment to CNN and said anyone flying over his home "better beware, because I've got a shotgun."

Kentucky stays woke. Fly your drone in the state accordingly. 

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