US Open 2015 Match Interrupted Due to Drone Crashing into Stadium

A scary incident occurred during Thursday night's action at the U.S. Open in a match between Flavia Pennetta and Monica Niculescu, as a drone crashed into an empty seating section in Louis Armstrong Stadium. 

According to Chris Chase of USA Today, police arrested a 26-year-old teacher who was charged with reckless endangerment. No one was injured as a result of the incident, though Pennetta is quoted in the report saying it shook her up. 

“It was a little bit scary, I have to say,” Pennetta told reporters. “With everything going on in the world … I thought, ‘OK, it’s over.’ That’s how things happen.”

According to ESPN.com's report on the situation, the teacher who was arrested is named Daniel Verley, and the drone was in pieces after crashing. The match did continue with Pennetta winning in straight sets. 

As unusual as the situation seems, it's actually the second time in two years something like this has happened during a Pennetta match.

CNN.com's Morgan Winsor reported last September that a man was arrested for allegedly flying a drone over the U.S. Open venue during a Pennetta matchup with Serena Williams.

Given the necessary extensive security measures taken at sporting events, flying objects of any kind are going to be a frightening situation for everyone involved. The good news is no one has been hurt in these two incidents, though having it happen twice in the last 12 months should lead to increased awareness.