ANTELOPE VALLEY : Man Faces July 21 Trial in Harassment of Pilots

A judge refused to dismiss a misdemeanor criminal charge Wednesday against a 72-year-old recluse who tried to keep noisy airplanes away from his Antelope Valley home by using a mirror to flash sunlight into the eyes of pilots landing at a nearby airport.

Antelope Municipal Judge Frank Jackson instead set a July 21 trial date for Alcide J. Chaisson of Llano, who remains free on his own recognizance. Chaisson’s attorney argued that the state Public Utilities Code section his client is accused of violating applies only to actions taken in the air, not on the ground. The judge disagreed and said Chaisson should be tried on a charge of obstructing a flight path.