Prosecutors filed charges against a pilot who witnesses say threatened boats with his plane near Horsetooth Reservoir on Sept. 11, and then crashed nearby.
Ahmed El-Kaddah faces five counts of menacing and six charges of reckless endangerment in the bizarre incident. But investigators believe he fled the U.S. and they are asking for the public’s help in finding him, according to a news release.
Witnesses say that the Cessna 172M, believed to have been piloted by El-Kaddah, was flying in an erratic manner at around 7 p.m. toward their boats, and then turned west toward the mountains before it crashed.
Larimer County Sheriff’s deputies and Larimer County Park Rangers responded to the crash near Horsetooth Mountain and found two people inside with minor injuries.
Though the FBI did not take the case, the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Authority investigated the plane and determined that the crash was not caused by a mechanical malfunction. The NTSB report also indicated that the statements provided by the pilot were inconsistent with the recovered flight data.
Felony menacing is considered a misdemeanor under current law.
“The fact that someone would show such reckless disregard for the lives of others is concerning, but it’s even more disturbing on a date that holds so much pain and significance for our country,” Sheriff John Feyen said in the release.
Authorities encouraged anyone with information about El-Kaddah’s whereabouts to call the Larimer County Sheriff and anyone who wishes to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at (970) 221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.
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