Thursday, July 18, 2013

Pilot to be tried in Arkansas airplane escapade: Cirrus SR22, N960CM

An Arkansas judge on Monday set a Jan. 7 trial date for the Rohnert Park pilot who was the subject of a statewide manhunt after fleeing from deputies in his airplane. 

Dennis Franklin Hunter appeared before Judge Grisham Phillips in Saline County Circuit Court facing a single charge of aggravated assault on a peace officer. If convicted, he could face up to six years in state prison, prosecutor Brian Clary said.

The charge stems from an April 1 incident at Saline County Airport where deputies sought to detain Hunter when he landed to refuel. Department of Homeland Security officials have said they were tracking Hunter's plane suspecting drugs were onboard.

Hunter owns a Santa Rosa-based company called GeoPot, which designs and sells fabric pots and planter boxes. He was sentenced in 2005 to 6 years in federal prison for operating one of the largest indoor pot farms in Humboldt County history.

When deputies approached the plane as he refueled, Hunter jumped back in the cockpit, hit the throttle and hastily took off. He later landed on a rural road and fled into the woods, turning himself into authorities several days later.

The assault charge stems from deputies' saying that the wing of Hunter's plane nearly struck a deputy when he fled.

Story, Photos, Comments/Reaction:   http://www.pressdemocrat.com

Related: 
Cirrus SR22, N960CM: Dennis Hunter turns himself in to authorities

Cirrus SR22, N960CM: Pilot says panic led to Arkansas manhunt 

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2013/04/cirrus-sr22-n960cm-fugitive-pilot-turns.html 

http://registry.faa.gov/N960CM

http://geopot.com

OFFICER TAKING REPORT: COOPER, BRIAN 

CASE NARRATIVE
 
ON 04/01/2013, I WAS ASKED TO ASSIST SGT. E. BEATY IN CHECKING AN AIRPLANE THAT WAS ENROUTE TO THE SALINE COUNTY AIRPORT. WHILE ENROUTE , WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD ALREADY LANDED AND WHEN WE ARRIVED I NOTICED A WHITE, SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE SITTING AT THE FUEL PUMP WITH A WHITE MALE STANDING NEXT TO IT PUMPING FUEL INTO THE PLANE. I EXITED MY PATROL UNIT AND WALKED THROUGH THE GATE IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SUBJECT. AS I GOT NEAR THE AIRPLANE, THE SUBJECT TOSSED THE FUEL NOZZLE ONTO THE HOSE RACK AND WALKED AT A FAST PACE AROUND THE AIRPLANE AND STARTED TO ENTER THE COCKPIT. AS THE SUBJECT WAS ENTERING THE AIRPLANE, I YELL FOR HIM TO STOP AND AT THAT TIME HE LOOKED AT ME AND AND JUMPED UP INTO THE COCKPIT AND SLAMMED THE DOOR. AS I APPROACHED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, THE SUBJECT ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. I THEN YELLED AGAIN FOR THE SUBJECT TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE  BUT HE REFUSED AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE. THE SUBJECT WAS ABLE TO GET THE AIRPLANE STARTED AND PUT IT FULL THROTTLE AND TOOK OFF TOWARD THE TAXI WAY OF THE AIRPORT. AS THE PLANE TOOK OFF FROM THE FUEL PUMP, I HAD TO JUMP BACKWARDS AS TO KEEP THE WING FROM STRIKING ME. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY BEFORE THE SUBJECT PULLED NOSE UP AND TOOK OFF ON THE TAXI WAY AND HEADED SOUTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. A COPY OF THE CREDIT CARD WHICH IS ISSUED TO A DENNIS HUNTER, WAS USED TO BUY FUEL FOR THE AIRPLANE AND WAS RECOVERED AT THE FUEL PUMP AND IS ATTACHED TO THIS REPORT NOTE: DET. RON PARSONS WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT ALONG WITH LT. M. FROST.

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