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DRAPER - It's a bird. It's a plane. No. Could it have been Super Dell? And was he endangering the public?
A prosecutor on Thursday charged former computer and guns pitchman "Super" Dell B. Schanze with disorderly conduct and creating a public nuisance in a May 24 outing with his ultralight aircraft. The charges were filed in Draper Justice Court. The disorderly conduct charge is an infraction that carries a fine but no jail time, while the public nuisance charge is a class B misdemeanor punishable by as much as six months in jail.
Schanze did not return The Tribune's phone messages on Thursday.
On the morning of May 24, Draper police responded to a report of an ultralight flying not far above Interstate 15 at about 12300 South. Draper police Sgt. Gerry Allred said one police officer saw the aircraft about even with a two-story building. Police received information suggesting Schanze was the pilot.
"Numerous witness statements said he was so low they feared he was going to crash," Allred said Thursday. "The highway patrol says there were people driving by looking at the glider instead of watching the road."
Allred said Schanze also risked crashing his ultralight into traffic or people in nearby businesses.
There was one minor traffic accident on I-15 while the ultralight was near there, Allred said, but the Utah Highway Patrol determined the aircraft played no role in the wreck.
Draper detectives attempted to interview Schanze, Allred said, but his attorney said an interview would occur only if Draper's mayor, City Council and city manager attended. Draper police said no.
Schanze has said he plans on fighting the charges, which he "pretty much" knows will be dismissed.
Draper City basically has "put out an execution order on me," Schanze has said.