Ultralight pilot in crash faces five counts

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buy this photo An ultralight aircraft crashed near the 5-yard line during a football game Wednesday in Blue Hill. (Larry Peirce, David City Banner Press)

BLUE HILL — The pilot of an ultralight plane that crashed into the sidelines of a Blue Hill football game was charged Friday with five counts, including flying under the influence.

Pilot Dan VanBoening of Blue Hill also was charged with refusal to submit to an alcohol test, assault and two counts of criminal mischief, said Webster County Attorney Jerry McDole.

The assault charge stems from an injury to Kathy Seeman of Blue Hill, who suffered a broken shoulder blade when the plane hit her as it crashed Wednesday evening. The criminal mischief charges stem from two parked vehicles that were hit by plane.

VanBoening, who suffered leg cuts in the crash, was to be arraigned Monday, McDole said.

VanBoening told reporters Thursday that has been flying for about seven years and had been flying Wednesday to check his cows.

Efforts to reach VanBoening to comment on Friday were unsuccessful.

The plane crashed behind a fence about 30 minutes into the Blue Hill game against East Butler, witnesses said. Blue Hill won 12-6.

Blue Hill is about 20 miles south of Hastings.

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