By Madina Toure
A Brooklyn teacher was arrested and charged with crashing a drone into the Louis Armstrong Stadium during a US Open match Thursday night, according to the NYPD.
At about 8:45 p.m., Daniel Verley, 26, a science teacher at the Academy of Innovative Technology in Brooklyn, launched the drone from Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the air-borne device crashed into a group of empty seats during the second round of the Flavia Pennetta of Italy vs. Monica Niculescu of Romania women’s single match, according to a police spokeswoman.
Chris Widmaier, USTA’s managing director of corporate communications, said the drone flew in from the east into the stadium and that no one was hurt.
“Fortunately, in the immediate area, there were no injuries,” Widmaier said. “Immediately following that incident, NYPD took control and started to investigate.”
Verley was arrested at 1 a.m. Friday and was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless operation of a drone and operating a drone in a New York City public park outside of the designated area for the devices, police said.
A spokesman for the city Department of Education said the DOE will monitor the case closely and that any disciplinary action will be taken based on the developments in the criminal case.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
