Man Who Intentionally Crashed Plane Near Redding Was Facing Domestic Violence Charges
REDDING (CBS/AP) -- Prosecutors say a man who died after intentionally crashing his plane Saturday in Northern California was facing domestic violence charges.
Shasta County Chief Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said Zachary Cain Stickler pleaded not guilty Friday to a felony count of making criminal threats and a misdemeanor battery charge. Sheriff's officials say he intentionally crashed a plane into a pasture east of Redding the next day.
The single engine Cessna 206 was registered to a third party. Stickler took off from the Redding airport just after 8:00 a.m. and 34 minutes later the plane crashed in an open field in Millville.
Sheriff's deputies said text messages Stickler sent to his friends and family led them to conclude he committed suicide by crashing a plane.
Bridgett said the charges stemmed from an incident in February in Redding. The victim was dating Stickler, and the two were living together.
She declined to provide more detail, saying she wanted to protect the victim's privacy.