Emily Chan
Last year, a 24-year-old resident of San Fernando Valley and YouTube creator Suk Min Choi, also known as Alex Choi, directed a YouTube video that involved two women in a helicopter repeatedly shooting fireworks at a Lamborghini sports car.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, he was arrested on June 5 on a federal criminal complaint and charged with one count of “causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft.” If Choi is convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Choi has 924,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, which mostly features videos related to cars. On July 4, 2023, he posted a video that was 10 minutes and 45 seconds long, titled “Destroying a Lamborghini With Fireworks.” This was the video that federal authorities arrested him for. It is no longer available on YouTube.
In the video, Choi pressed a “fire missiles” button while two women in a helicopter shot fireworks at a Lamborghini speeding away on the desert ground, blowing dust around as it tried to dodge the missiles.
Fireworks land on top of it and explode into flames. It is believed that the video was filmed on the El Mirage Dry Lakebed, a rural recreation area in San Bernardino County. The lakebed is under the control of the Bureau of Land Management.
After the initial footage of the fireworks and the Lamborghini, the video transitioned to a behind-the-scenes look at how Choi shot the first part of the video.
He made several references to himself coordinating the shoot and stated that he directed it himself, claiming responsibility for the stunt.
In addition, he expressed his gratitude to a camera company for going along with his “crazy stupid ideas.” Other parts of the video show Choi standing next to the helicopter, holding what appeared to be a firework.
He made his first appearance in court the day after his arrest and was released on a $50,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for the next month. No plea was taken.
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