Faces 20 Years In Jail

Michael Michaud just didn't know when to give up... already on the run from police in Kansas last year after a traffic stop, the 29-year-old fugitive then took a shot at the Cessna 150 that located him, hitting pilot Mike Spicer in the forehead, just above his right eye.

Amazingly, Spicer was able to safely land the plane in spite of his injury on that April day in 2005... with the help of passenger Arnie Knoettgen, who radioed that Spicer had been hit.

Fortunately, Michaud wasn't on the lam for long. He was apprehended the day after the shooting, along with the .44 caliber handgun he used to shoot at the plane.

On Friday, the Wichita Eagle reports, Michaud faced up to his crime... pleading guilty to one count of endangering the safety of an aircraft... and one charge of discharging a firearm in anger. Michaud faces up to 20 years in prison on those charges.

That is good news to the pilot community... but even better is word that Spicer made a full recovery from his wounds.

In fact, Spicer even told police it'll take more than a gunshot wound to keep him from flying more airborne search missions for authorities... although next time, he'll probably fly just a little bit higher.

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