Rocker Tommy Lee’s pilot facing charges filed in Los Angeles

By M&C News Aug 2, 2006, 19:08 GMT

A helicopter pilot for rocker Tommy Lee, who is currently on the reality television show Rock Star: Supernova, is facing criminal charges after he landed on public street while transporting Lee and two other passengers to Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo filed charges of one count of reckless operation of an aircraft, one count of landing an aircraft on a public road, and one count of landing an aircraft without a permit against the pilot (David Keith Martz, 49), and each charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

On July 7, Air Support Division (ASD) of the Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a helicopter hovering above a residence in the Hollywood Hills. The officers attempted to contact the helicopter pilot without success. ASD officers later observed the aircraft land on the street and the pilot enter the residence. Officers did not observe any ground-based crewmembers keeping vehicles or pedestrians away from the aircraft during approach, landing and take-off.

LAPD officers were later dispatched to the residence where identified Martz as the pilot. Martz was informed the landing site was on a public roadway, not private property and according to the law it is illegal to land on a public street.

Martz, Tommy Lee and two other passengers later entered the aircraft and departed to the southeast. The aircraft returned and landed at the residence again about two hours later, according to reports.

Although Martz was not present when police returned to the residence, he was given a citation later for landing without a permit from the Fire Department. Martz was then allowed to leave. Results of the investigation were forwarded to Deputy City Attorney Mark Soriano of Delgadillo's Hollywood Division for prosecution.

Arraignment is scheduled for today, August 2, in Division 79 of the Hollywood Courthouse.