Treyarch Co-Founder Pleads Guilty After Crashing Drone Into Firefighting Plane

Peter Tripp Akemann, co-founder of game developer Treyarch, has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge after his drone collided with a firefighting aircraft during the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.

The plea agreement includes 150 hours of wildfire-related community service and $65,000 in restitution for the damage caused to the aircraft. While the misdemeanor charge carries a potential sentence of up to one year in prison, reports indicate that Akemann will avoid prison time under this agreement.

The incident occurred on January 9, 2025 when Akemann launched his drone from a Santa Monica parking garage. Soon after he lost sight of it more than 1.5 miles away, and accidentally struck a Super Scooper aircraft battling the wildfire. The collision left a 3-by-6-inch hole in the left wing, forcing the plane out of service for repairs estimated at $65,169.

Akemann has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft and will pay damages to the Quebec government, which owns the aircraft.

At the time of the incident, federal aviation authorities had restricted drone activity in the wildfire zone. Prosecutors said Akemann’s actions posed a serious threat to first responders. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally said that authorities “will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with critical emergency work.” 

Akemann’s attorneys, Glen T. Jonas and Vicki Podberesky, said in a statement that he is “deeply sorry for the mistake he made” and is cooperating fully with the authorities.

The Palisades Fire, which broke out on January 7, 2025, scorched thousands of acres in the Los Angeles area, prompting an extensive response from firefighting crews. The blaze, fueled by dry conditions and strong winds, forced evacuations and required aerial support to contain its spread. The fire resulted in the destruction of over 6,800 structures and claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals. It was fully contained on January 31, 2025.

Peter Akemann co-founded Treyarch in 1996, the studio behind Call of Duty: Black Ops, before it was acquired by Activision in 2001.