Man Gets 20 Years For April 2005 Incident

A Kansas man received the maximum sentence Tuesday for shooting and wounding an airplane pilot in April 2005. The US Attorneys Office says Michael Michaud was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Already on the run from police in Kansas on April 29, 2005 after a traffic stop, Michaud later took a shot at the Cessna 150 that located him. The bullet struck pilot Mike Spicer in the forehead, just above his right eye.

"The bullet shattered the window of the cockpit, sending shards of Plexiglas into the pilot's face. The bullet also struck the pilot above his left eye, leaving a six-inch gash across his forehead," US Attorney Eric Melgren said in a written statement to The Associated Press. "It was a remarkable feat that the pilot was able to save himself and his spotter by landing the plane safely despite his injuries."

Spicer was able to safely land the plane with the help of passenger Arnie Knoettgen, who radioed that Spicer had been hit. Michaud was arrested the next day.

As Aero-News reported in August, Michaud, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of endangering the safety of an aircraft through an act of violence, and one count of discharging a firearm with hostile intent.

FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Center_Municipal_Airport