An Alexandria man was arrested after deputies say he flew a paraglider low over Ruoff Music Center during a Dan + Shay concert on September 11, dropping small plastic toys with parachutes attached onto the crowd below and forcing an inbound medical helicopter to delay its landing. Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies were called to the Noblesville venue around 6:30 p.m. that evening after the suspect was seen dropping objects from the sky during the show.
According to Fox 59, deputies watched the man drop toys from the sky before he exited the venue by air, heading south toward Hamilton Town Center. The outlet reports that Hamilton Town Center and Cabela Parkway are in the area near Ruoff, while the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis mentions 146th Street and nearby roads. Deputies eventually found the paraglider's operator near Cabela Parkway after tracking him through a sudden, steep descent behind nearby buildings.
Medical Helicopter Forced to Delay Its Approach
The station's report notes that the paraglider blocked an inbound medical helicopter, and the aircraft's crew delayed its final approach until the paraglider left the area, after which the helicopter landed safely. Background reporting on paraglider hazards is available from Hoodline's earlier reporting on paraglider hazards.
Federal aviation rules governing ultralight aircraft, including powered paragliders, require operators to maintain constant vigilance to avoid collisions and to yield right-of-way to all other aircraft, including emergency helicopters, under 14 CFR § 103.13. The source material says such pilots do not carry transponders or FAA airman licenses. Deputies tracked the pilot after he descended out of sight near the retail district.
Charges Filed, Trial Set for January
The report describes a misdemeanor charge involving the dropping of objects from an aircraft in flight. The charge was distinct from federal rules that separately restrict such conduct. His subsequent custody status was not specified.
An initial hearing was held Monday in Hamilton Superior Court 7. A bench trial is scheduled for January 13, 2027. The available report does not establish whether the man was named.
A Crowded Airspace Above a Packed Amphitheater
Ruoff Music Center is central Indiana's largest outdoor music venue, with a total capacity of 24,790 that includes 6,147 covered pavilion seats and 18,000 general-admission lawn seats, according to Wikipedia. The venue, which opened in 1989 as Deer Creek Music Center and is now owned by Live Nation, was ranked by concert industry publication Pollstar as the world's top-selling amphitheater in 2018 and 2023 based on annual ticket sales.
The show itself was part of Dan + Shay's 2026 “Young Tour,” which routed through major North American amphitheaters following the August 21 release of the Grammy-winning duo's sixth studio album, as Hoodline previously reported. The tour featured openers Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross, and the Ruoff stop landed on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Federal regulations also address the operation of ultralight vehicles and aircraft. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office notified the FAA about the incident, though any federal review or enforcement action remains pending.
Low-altitude paragliding mishaps are not new to Indiana. In June 2009, a paraglider crashed into a utility pole in Marion, critically injuring a 46-year-old pilot and his teenage daughter and requiring emergency airlifts to a trauma center, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. The Ruoff incident adds a new chapter to that history, this time colliding with a packed amphitheater and an emergency air ambulance rather than rural infrastructure.
