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Columbus Police Arrest Drone Pilot Who Delayed Ohio State-Maryland Game

Five minutes after Ohio State kicked off with Maryland on Saturday, officials paused the action because one or more referees detected a drone that flew over Ohio Stadium as the game took place. The drone's pilot was arrested over the weekend.

A brief... drone delay?pic.twitter.com/9w7YXIfUh3

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 7, 2023

According to documents NBC4 obtained, Columbus police officers arrested Rigoberto Canaca Escoto of Lawrenceville, Georgia, on Saturday. The 28-year-old faces the following charges:

  • Unsafe operation of an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner
  • Two counts of aircraft operation without a license
  • Inducing panic by committing an offense with reckless regard
  • Disorderly conduct in a physically offensive condition

Columbus police found Canaca Escoto after members of the CPD counterterrorism unit spotted the drone and followed it to the Lennox Town Center, a shopping center located approximately 1.