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Calgary man faces $5K fine for promotional Stampede balloon stunt

A man who tied a lawn chair to more than 100 helium-filled balloons and attempted to fly over Stampede Park last summer faces the maximum fine.

Daniel Boria pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous operation of an aircraft.

On Thursday, the Crown and Boria’s defence lawyer, Alain Hepner, submitted an agreed statement of facts and a joint recommendation of a $5,000 fine.

On top of that, Boria plans to donate $20,000 to the Veterans Food Bank.

Daniel Boria – Calgary man charged in balloon stunt – July 5, 2015.

Court was told Boria tied a lawn chair to 120 balloons with the intention of landing on the Stampede rodeo grounds during the chuckwagon races July 5, 2015.

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He took off from the former Highland Golf Course and ascended to an altitude of more than 13,000 feet (3,962 metres).

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But his plan went awry when the wind changed and forced him off course.

Boria landed in a field off Ogden Road S.E.

Court heard the stunt, designed to promote Boria’s cleaning business, was extremely dangerous.

“He was in the way of three flight paths,” Hepner told Global News.

The day after the stunt Boria said:

“I’d look down, I’d see my feet dangling, the green lawn chair handles, I’d look down through the clouds and see a WestJet flight below me.”

Provinicial Court Judge Bruce Fraser will hand down his sentence Feb. 10, 2017.

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