Yahoo Autos YouTuber Alex Choi Charged Over Firework Assault on Lamborghini
Automotive influencer Alex Choi was arrested on Wednesday and is facing a federal charge for allegedly directing a video in which a helicopter was used to shoot fireworks at a Lamborghini Huracán, the Department of Justice announced on Thursday.
According to the federal complaint, the charge is tied to a video titled "Destroying a Lamborghini with Fireworks," which was uploaded to Choi’s YouTube channel last year. The now-removed video featured two women in a helicopter pursuing the Lamborghini from above in what is believed to be the El Mirage Dry Lakebed in San Bernardino County. The helicopter passengers can be seen firing a massive volley of fireworks at the Italian supercar, a scenario the complaint describes as “a live-action version of a fictionalized video game scene." The video is believed to have been filmed on June 27, 2023.
Choi was arrested on charges of causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft, according to the Department of Justice. His initial appearance in court was scheduled for Thursday in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. An arraignment is expected to be scheduled for the coming weeks.
The complaint claims that Choi—who has more than 900,000 followers on YouTube—did not have the proper permitting required to use fireworks on a helicopter. Furthermore, the DOJ says it has text messages that indicate Choi had to purchase the fireworks for the shoot in Nevada, as he seemingly knew they were illegal in California. The YouTuber can allegedly be seen holding what appears to be a firework near the car in the video, as well as behind the wheel during the simulated attack.
The complaint further notes that the Federal Aviation Administration has also revoked the helicopter pilot's license in relation to the stunt.
The United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Dominique Caamano of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section.
This isn’t the first time that one of Choi’s videos has proven controversial. Back in March 2022, Choi uploaded a now infamous video of a rented Tesla Model S jumping through the air along a residential street in Los Angeles. While Choi has always maintained that he wasn’t involved in planning the stunt, publishing the footage to his large audience garnered frustration and concern from the local community. That jump resulted in the Tesla smashing into two parked cars along the street, resulting in damage to all three vehicles.
If convicted, Choi could face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
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