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The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
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Man Arrested for Crashing His Drone Into Empire State Building, Police Say

By Aidan Gardiner | February 5, 2016 8:42am

MANHATTAN — A New Jersey man was arrested Thursday night for crashing his drone into the 40th floor of the Empire State Building, police said.

Sean Riddle, 28, was flying his drone through Midtown when it slammed into the 85-year-old landmark at 350 Fifth Ave., on West 33rd Street, and tumbled down to its 35th floor about 8 p.m., an NYPD spokeswoman said.

Riddle, of Jersey City, went into the skyscraper to tell security that his machine had crashed, but instead of helping, they called police who came and arrested him, the spokeswoman said.

Riddle faces charges of reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and a violation of local law, police said.

No one was injured in the incident and no property was damaged, police said.

The drone was not the first flying object to crash into the New York icon. In 1945, a B-25 crashed near the 78th and 79th floors, killing 14 people.