Doug Hughes, the Florida mailman who flew his gyrocopter through restricted airspace and onto the U.S. Capitol grounds earlier this week, was released from jail on Thursday, but was placed in home detention while he faces charges
Hughes was charged with flying an unlicensed gyrocopter, which is a felony, and with violation national defense airspace, which is a misdemeanor. He could face up to three years in prison for the felony charge and up to one year for the misdemeanor, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was also barred from returning to Washington, D.C. or operating an aircraft.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Hughes was released on Thursday after an initial court appearance. The judge placed him on home detention, where he will be monitored by a GPS. The Tampa Bay Times reported that Hughes will be allowed to return to D.C. for court appearances, but must stay away from the Capitol and White House while in the District.
Hughes flew his gyrocopter onto U.S. Capitol grounds on Wednesday in an attempt to call for campaign finance reform. He planned on personally delivering letters to each member of Congress, urging them to act on the issue.
The Secret Service was not aware that Hughes was on his way to the Capitol, but on his website, Hughes wrote that he sent an email to President Obama about his planned flight.
Hughes knew his plan was risky, but in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Hughes said he purposefully chose a transparent, non-threatening vehicle in hopes that he would not get shot down.
“I don’t believe that the authorities are going to shoot down a 61-year-old mailman in a flying bicycle,” he said. “I don’t have any defense, okay, but I don’t believe that anybody wants to personally take responsibility for the fallout.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said he plans on investigating how Hughes was able to fly through restricted air space onto the Capitol grounds.
Grandpa or no, the guy knows DC…
Good thing he’s melanin-deficient.
Or he could have been banned from breathing.
jw1
Has a gofundme page been set up yet?
Actually, I was just thinking that this guy probably has a lot of sympathizers. It was a stunt that could have ended badly, but it shows more of the American spirit many of us can get behind (unlike the Bundys and their ilk).
He was actually trying to draw attention to something that needs to be fixed, something that’s hurting all of us.
I agree; He just had a boneheaded method of going about it. He could have been killed.