A Florida man was arrested after reportedly misidentifying and shooting at a Walmart delivery drone because he allegedly believed it was a surveillance drone.
On the afternoon of June 26, a Walmart store in Clermont was testing a new drone delivery system in a local residential neighborhood. Agents from the company “DroneUp,” who provide the drones to Walmart, were promoting the company by showing what they can do, and they sent it out on some fake deliveries to demonstrate.
During the event, a man spotted the drone as it flew over his home and reportedly became suspicious of it. He allegedly decided to respond to the purported infringement on his personal space by shooting the device with a handgun. The DroneUp staff immediately left when they heard the bang.
The drone was navigated back to Walmart, where the DroneUp agents returned to when they took off from the site, and the authorities were notified. Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office went to the store to investigate. After checking out the drone and talking to the employees, they headed to the suspect’s residence.
The man let the authorities know drones had flown over his house in the past, and that it made him uncomfortable. They informed him that the one he saw that day was intended for Walmart deliveries.
The man was taken into custody and booked into Lake County Jail. He is facing preliminary charges of shooting or throwing deadly missiles into dwellings, vessels, or vehicles, criminal mischief of $1,000 or more in damage, and discharging a firearm in public or on residential property. He was released the following day after posting a $13,500 bond.
It was reported that the drone, which will be out of service for an undetermined amount of time, took approximately $2,500 in damage from the incident.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.