Advisory
24 Year Old Petaluma Resident Cited for flying a drone over the Petaluma Airport halting Cal Fire Helicopters
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Sunday October 15, 2017
Issued By:
Lieutenant Ron Klein, Petaluma PD, 707.778.4350, email: [email protected]
Incident: 24 Year Old Petaluma Resident Cited for flying a drone over the Petaluma Airport halting Cal Fire Helicopters.
Report Number: 17-5113
Occurred Date October 15, 2017
Occurred Time: 2:36 PM
Location: Petaluma Municipal Airport
Incident Summary:
On October 15, 2017 at 2:36PM the Petaluma Police Department dispatch received a call from the Petaluma Airport that someone was flying a drone over the airport. The Petaluma Airport is currently one of the bases where Cal Fire Helicopters are flying out of in response to the fires in Sonoma and Napa County. The drone being flown over the airport caused firefighting helicopters to cease operations for approximately 10 minutes.
Cal Fire reported they believed the person flying the drone was at the East Washington Fields east of the airport. When officers arrived Cal Fire Employees had located the subject responsible for flying the drone. He was identified as Nestor Rodriguez a 24 year old male from Petaluma. When questioned about the drone he stated he did not realize it was illegal.
The drone was seized and Rodriguez was issued a citation to appear for Impeding Emergency Personnel. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and will be conducting an investigation into this matter.
The helicopters being flown from Petaluma have been integral in the fighting of fires in the Sonoma, Napa and Lake Counties. The drone was not only potentially perilous for the helicopters landing at and leaving the airport, it also held up the operation endangering lives and further fire damage to an already fire ravaged area.
24 Year Old Petaluma Resident Cited for flying a drone over the Petaluma Airport halting Cal Fire Helicopters 
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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Sunday October 15, 2017
Issued By:
Lieutenant Ron Klein, Petaluma PD, 707.778.4350, email: [email protected]
Incident: 24 Year Old Petaluma Resident Cited for flying a drone over the Petaluma Airport halting Cal Fire Helicopters.
Report Number: 17-5113
Occurred Date October 15, 2017
Occurred Time: 2:36 PM
Location: Petaluma Municipal Airport
Incident Summary:
On October 15, 2017 at 2:36PM the Petaluma Police Department dispatch received a call from the Petaluma Airport that someone was flying a drone over the airport. The Petaluma Airport is currently one of the bases where Cal Fire Helicopters are flying out of in response to the fires in Sonoma and Napa County. The drone being flown over the airport caused firefighting helicopters to cease operations for approximately 10 minutes.
Cal Fire reported they believed the person flying the drone was at the East Washington Fields east of the airport. When officers arrived Cal Fire Employees had located the subject responsible for flying the drone. He was identified as Nestor Rodriguez a 24 year old male from Petaluma. When questioned about the drone he stated he did not realize it was illegal.
The drone was seized and Rodriguez was issued a citation to appear for Impeding Emergency Personnel. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and will be conducting an investigation into this matter.
The helicopters being flown from Petaluma have been integral in the fighting of fires in the Sonoma, Napa and Lake Counties. The drone was not only potentially perilous for the helicopters landing at and leaving the airport, it also held up the operation endangering lives and further fire damage to an already fire ravaged area.
Address/Location
Petaluma Police Department
969 Petaluma Blvd N
Petaluma, CA 94952
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 707-778-4372