Man accused of drunkenly damaging Medflight helicopter, delaying emergency transport

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. - A man was arrested for throwing a rock at a Medflight helicopter that was getting ready to leave for an emergency transport on Friday, according to the La Porte Police Department.

Duane Lowery was charged with criminal mischief, resisting law enforcement and public intoxication.

The incident happened just after 4:30 p.m. on Friday, when Lowery, positioned in the parking lot of a nearby business, allegedly threw a landscaping rock at the helicopters’ propellors right before it was set to take off.

The impact left a large dent on one of the propellors. Because of certain safety regulations, the helicopter will take several weeks and approximately $100,000 to fix.

At the time of the incident, the patient that was inside the helicopter was being taken to Chicago for a life-threatening injury to the head.

A new helicopter picked up the patient around 5:30 p.m.