Hunter Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Jetliner, Wounding Passenger
A hunter pleaded guilty Friday to shooting at a United Airlines jetliner and wounding a passenger as the plane approached Raleigh-Durham airport.
Robert Raymond Proulx, 23, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of damaging an aircraft in the New Year’s Eve shooting.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Peter Kellen said Proulx entered the guilty plea as part of a bargain in which a second charge of using a firearm to damage an aircraft was withdrawn.
The charge of damaging an aircraft carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Kellen said Proulx is expected to be sentenced within 30 days.
“At this time we anticipate seeking a jail term,” Kellen said. “We’ll withhold judgment until we have time to review the pre-sentencing report, but at this time we’ll be seeking a substantial jail term.”
Proulx, who was arrested within a week of the shooting, admitted to firing at the aircraft with a 30-30 Winchester carbine, Kellen said. He said that no motive for the shooting has been established.
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