Pilot Who Buzzed Santa Monica Pier in Military Jet Goes to Jail

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Incident happened in 2008.


SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KTLA) -- A pilot who buzzed the Santa Monica Pier in a military jet has been ordered to jail.

David G. Riggs surrendered to authorities Wednesday to begin serving a 60-day sentence.

The 48-year old was convicted of violating a rarely used provision of the California Public Utilities Code that is designed to protect the public from careless and reckless pilots.

Jurors found that Riggs endangered the public by making low-level passes over the Santa Monica Pier on Nov. 6, 2008, to promote a movie his company was making about a maverick squadron of Americans and Russians on a secret mission to Iran.

The 48-year old was also ordered to clean beaches for 60 days and to pay more than $6,000 in penalties and court fees.

During the stunt, Riggs flew a 1973 Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, a Czechoslovakian jet trainer that was popular in the Soviet bloc during the Cold War.

Video captured Riggs buzzing the pier at speeds of up to 350 mph.

The jet made several low-altitude passes over the pier and pulled up into a steep climb before hitting the popular Ferris wheel.

Several 911 calls were made in response to the impromptu air show.

"I am out here by the beach, the Santa Monica Pier, and there are two military jets buzzing. I mean, they're coming in close. They're maybe 10 feet above it (the pier)," one caller said.

Another caller reported seeing a jet "flying very, very, very low to the water."

This was not Riggs first brush with the law.

Riggs has served time in Hong Kong for passport fraud, according to court documents.

He was also convicted several times in Missouri on wire theft and federal fraud charges, according to the documents.

Investors in his film ventures also are pursuing civil cases against him.


source and video:

Video Captures Military Jet Buzzing Santa Monica Pier - ktla.com