Teen at Center of Drone Case Accused of Attacking Police Officers

A teen at the center of drone controversies has been charged with assaulting an officer. He appeared in court on Thursday and posted a US$20,000 bond. 18-year old Austin Haughwout of Clinton was reportedly told to turn himself by police following an arrest warrant over an unrelated incident.

According to an affidavit, an officer said he responded to the Henry Carter Hull Library on Sunday for a routine check.

The officer sought to make sure a burglary had not taken place, so he approached the sedan.

Pulled up next to the vehicle, the officer heard the driver screaming at the officer, repeating: “Do you suspect me of a crime?”

The officer later identified him as Haughwout due to the national attention he’d received from his recent drone incidents.

When officers told Haughwout that he was being stopped for an investigative detention, he yelled, “That’s illegal without a crime or infraction you cannot detain a person, I do not consent to this unlawful detention!”

The officer tried to restrain him, and a fight started.

When a second officer arrived at the scene, Haughwout continued to scream and then sped out of the lot onto Killingworth Turnpike.

Clinton 18-year-old Austin Haughwout has been in the news several times over the past week. He was stopped by officers in the north bound lane about 300 yards away from the initial stop, police say.

When he arrived, police say he refused to obey an officer’s instructions, and then tried to leave.

Police say last night, they called the 18-year-old, and told him to come to the police department to be arrested. They seized other electronics, including a camera he’d been holding as well. Police served Haughwout the original warrant and also charged him with two counts of assaulting an officer and one count of interfering with an officer.

A teenager may be in trouble with federal aviation officials after posting online a video that shows shots being fired from a drone that had been rigged to carry a handgun.

In the video, the drone can be seen firing four shots.

The FAA said it is working with Clinton police to investigate whether Haughwout violated regulations that prohibit the careless or reckless operation of a model aircraft.

Police Chief Todd Lawrie said Thursday that the department thus far has been unable to determine any state laws or local ordinances banning such a device, but said, “We’re still looking into it. I don’t think anyone thinks you should be able to attach a handgun to a helicopter”. Haughwout did not immediately return telephone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.