YouTuber Alex Choi faces a slew of charges after a stunt on his channel saw fireworks shot out of a helicopter at a Lamborghini
A YouTuber has been charged for a stunt on his YouTube channel involving fireworks being shot from a helicopter at a Lamborghini.
Alex Choi, real name Suk Min Choi, is in hot water with authorities for one of his videos.
The particular video, entitled ‘Destroying a Lamborghini with Fireworks’, saw two women in a helicopter flying near the ground and repeatedly firing fireworks at a Lamborghini sports car in San Bernardino County last year.
The video has since been taken down from his YouTube channel – and Choi, who is based in California, was arrested on Wednesday (June 5), as per The Independent.
The Department confirmed that the 24-year-old YouTuber had been charged with ‘one count of causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft’.
Alex Choi has been charged for a video which involved fireworks being shot at a Lamborghini from a helicopter (U.S. Department of Justice)
An affidavit was filed with the complaint last year on July 4, which says: “In the video, Choi allegedly presses a ‘fire missiles’ button while two women are in a helicopter, shooting fireworks at a speeding Lamborghini sportscar. Law enforcement believes the video was shot on the El Mirage Dry Lakebed in San Bernardino County.
“After shooting what appears to be a live-action version of a fictionalized video game scene, the video transitions to a behind-the-scenes look at how Choi shot the first third of the video.
“During this portion of the video, Choi allegedly makes various references to himself coordinating the shoot. Specifically, the video states that Choi directed it.
“In the video, Choi thanks a camera company for ‘being a part of my crazy stupid ideas’.
“He also allegedly said in the video that the group who helped make the video “[expletive] up” at one point “because I forgot to tell my friend how to use a torch.”
If convicted, Choi faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, the DOJ said.
The YouTuber is set to face his arraignment in the coming weeks. It is not clear whether he has a attorney.
Authorities believe that Choi allegedly shot the video in June of last year and also allege that he bought the fireworks in Nevada because they were ‘illegal in California’.
They also claimed the stunt was performed without permits.
The Department of Justice did not state whether other people could be charged in relation to the incident.
The helicopter pilot has also had his pilot license revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration in January for their role in the stunt, according to the complaint.
The DOJ said in their statement that The United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also investigating the incident.