Texas Hot Air Balloon Crash: Pilot Had Been Arrested For Driving While Intoxicated In 2000, Report Says

The pilot of the hot air balloon that hit high-tension power lines before crashing into a pasture in Texas on Saturday, killing 16 people, had been previously arrested in 2000 for driving under influence, the Associated Press (AP) reported Monday citing a police officer.

Alfred “Skip” Nichols, 49 — identified as the pilot by friend and roommate Alan Lirette — was not officially named by the authorities who said they were in the process of identifying the bodies of the victims involved in the crash. The hot air balloon was operated by the Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides.