- Jan 8, 2007
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An irate elderly Fulton woman is free on bond after she stormed into the Fulton Airport terminal Saturday night and announced she was going to shoot down an airplane. Police reported she later fired a weapon at the airport.
Fulton police gave this account of the incident that occurred at 7:42 p.m. Saturday:
Judy Davis, 69, is accused of entering the Fulton Airport terminal building with a pistol, which she produced, and said she was going to shoot down an airplane because it had repeatedly flown too close to home.
She then is accused of going out to the runway and firing a .22 caliber handgun.
When police arrived at the airport, they reported they found Davis on the runway were a small plane was attempting to land. Police said she fired the handgun. It's unknown, police said, if Davis fired the weapon into the ground or at the landing airplane.
The unidentified pilot of the airplane aborted his landing and was uninjured. After police arrested Davis, he landed his plane safely a short time later.
Davis was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and taken to the Callaway County Jail where she posted a $4,500 bond and was released to face charges later.
Fulton police contacted federal authorities and they will assist in the investigation of the incident.
Airport manager Travis St. John said several pilots had been practicing takeoffs and landings all day and into the night at the airport in training exercises.
"It started in the morning and then there was a break at noon and it resumed in the afternoon. Then it resumed again in the evening. But I guess it did sound like it was going on all day and into the night," St. John said.
St. John said a grass runway was being used because the pilots wanted to practice using a grass runway. That took the flight pattern of takeoffs and landings over the Judy Davis home, which was unusual because grass runways are not used often at the airport.
"If she had called the airport to complain about the noise we could have switched them to another runway. But she didn't call to complain," St. John said.
St. John estimated the planes were flying about 200 to 300 feet over the Davis home near the airport.
St. John said the pilots told him that Davis never did get on the airport runway but she did fire at least one shot.
St. John said the airport closes at 6 p.m. and the pilots were having a social event and doing some training in the evening.
St. John said he was told by pilots that no pilot aborted a landing but instead stayed in the plane after it landed.
The pilots called 911 and police arrived and took Davis into custody.
St. John said the pilots were not doing anything unusual or illegal but if someone had complained he would have required them to switch to another runway.
Fulton Sun
Damn.. Not a great news cycle for the Show Me state.
Fulton police gave this account of the incident that occurred at 7:42 p.m. Saturday:
Judy Davis, 69, is accused of entering the Fulton Airport terminal building with a pistol, which she produced, and said she was going to shoot down an airplane because it had repeatedly flown too close to home.
She then is accused of going out to the runway and firing a .22 caliber handgun.
When police arrived at the airport, they reported they found Davis on the runway were a small plane was attempting to land. Police said she fired the handgun. It's unknown, police said, if Davis fired the weapon into the ground or at the landing airplane.
The unidentified pilot of the airplane aborted his landing and was uninjured. After police arrested Davis, he landed his plane safely a short time later.
Davis was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and taken to the Callaway County Jail where she posted a $4,500 bond and was released to face charges later.
Fulton police contacted federal authorities and they will assist in the investigation of the incident.
Airport manager Travis St. John said several pilots had been practicing takeoffs and landings all day and into the night at the airport in training exercises.
"It started in the morning and then there was a break at noon and it resumed in the afternoon. Then it resumed again in the evening. But I guess it did sound like it was going on all day and into the night," St. John said.
St. John said a grass runway was being used because the pilots wanted to practice using a grass runway. That took the flight pattern of takeoffs and landings over the Judy Davis home, which was unusual because grass runways are not used often at the airport.
"If she had called the airport to complain about the noise we could have switched them to another runway. But she didn't call to complain," St. John said.
St. John estimated the planes were flying about 200 to 300 feet over the Davis home near the airport.
St. John said the pilots told him that Davis never did get on the airport runway but she did fire at least one shot.
St. John said the airport closes at 6 p.m. and the pilots were having a social event and doing some training in the evening.
St. John said he was told by pilots that no pilot aborted a landing but instead stayed in the plane after it landed.
The pilots called 911 and police arrived and took Davis into custody.
St. John said the pilots were not doing anything unusual or illegal but if someone had complained he would have required them to switch to another runway.
Fulton Sun
Damn.. Not a great news cycle for the Show Me state.
