Man charged with chasing owl in paraglider

30 October 2014 - 16:46 By Times LIVE
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File photo of a barn owl.
File photo of a barn owl.
Image: Gallo Images/The Times/Daniel Born

A person from Utah is facing federal charges for allegedly chasing a barn owl with a motorised paraglider.

Fox news reports, Dell Schanze, 45, was charged with with two misdemeanour counts of "knowingly using an aircraft to harass wildlife" and "pursuing a migratory bird" after a video he posted showed him chasing down a barn owl in his glider.

Members of the paragliding community asked federal and state officials to investigate, and the probe led to Schanze.

If convicted, he could face up to a year and a half in jail and a fine of $100,000.

According to NBC news, Shanze ran as a candidate for Utah governor, he received less than 3 percent of the vote in the 2008 election. He also failed in a 2009 mayoral campaign.

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