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Man charged after stopping helicopter at Tisdale ice cream shop

Helicopter lands in high-traffic area to buy a cake.
Helicopter
A helicopter landed in the RECplex parking lot illegally to allow a passenger to pick up an ice cream cake from the nearby Dairy Queen.

TISDALE — A LeRoy man landed his helicopter in the Tisdale RECplex parking lot — illegally — to allow his passenger to pick up an ice cream cake from the nearby Dairy Queen.

Tisdale RCMP received a complaint on July 31 at around 5 p.m. When it landed, the helicopter blew up dust and debris through the area. The RECplex includes the local high school, a branch of the local college, the arena, the public library, the swimming pool and a daycare.

Police said their investigation determined the landing was not an emergency: a passenger of the helicopter exited the aircraft and entered a nearby restaurant to buy an ice cream cake. Officers found out that the pilot, a 34-year-old man, was licensed to drive the helicopter, but that it was illegal to land it where he did.

The man has been charged with one count of dangerous operation of an aircraft and will appear in Melfort court on Sept 7.