BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A Nampa man is accused of stealing an airplane from North Las Vegas and landing it on a roadway outside of Barstow, California.
40-year-old Damian Zukaitis is charged with stealing a single-engine fixed-wing Kitfox aircraft. North Las Vegas detectives believe he may also be responsible for attempting to break into and damaging other airplanes at the NLV airport in the days before his flight to Barstow.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies contacted Zukaitis after receiving reports of the unauthorized landing. Zukaitis spoke with deputies, then fled on foot into the desert, later being found and apprehended by deputies.
Zukaitis is facing charges in California for possession of a stolen aircraft and transporting stolen property across state lines. He also has charges pending in Nevada for the theft and damage caused to other planes, but the troubles don't end there for Zukaitis.
The 40-year-old Nampa man has a warrant for his arrest in Ada County. According to court documents, Zukaitis pled guilty to two counts of felony stalking, battery, and violating a no-contact order.
He spent a year in jail in 2020, with four years left suspended while he serves probation through 2025. It seems stealing an airplane and landing it on a dirt road in a different state violates the terms of his probation. Ada County has notified San Bernardino County that a bench warrant has been issued.
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