Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Man lands in jail after taking airplane on drunken joy ride

Paul Weddle’s breath smelled of alcohol and his words slurred as he spoke to the officers Sunday night after he had been forced out of the white Cessna Caravan airplane.

Moments before, Boulder City Police watched him take the plane on a joy ride. He landed and took off twice, made two 360-degree turns in the air and nearly hit another airplane. When the officers finally arrested him, he said he had taken the airplane to complete the take-off and landing portion of his pilot’s license.

He blew a .132 blood alcohol content on his preliminary breath test.

These were the details outlined in a Boulder City arrest report of Weddle, 47, who was arrested Sunday night for unlawful taking of an aircraft, obstructing a police officer and driving an aircraft under the influence.

The report indicates the following:

Police responded about 11:25 p.m. to reports of a stolen Scenic Airlines airplane at 1301 Airport Road in Boulder City. The airline’s director claimed Weddle had taken off and landed three times.

Officers saw Weddle struggle to control the airplane in the air and demanded he stop and put his hands up once he landed. Weddle exited the plane but refused to show his hands. Police tackled him to the ground and arrested him.

He was transported to Boulder City Hospital, where he was willing to provide a blood sample.

Weddle was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and is expected to appear in court at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

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