Kurilla Convicted of Alcohol Offense

(AP)  A 44-year-old Brainerd man will spend 240 days in jail for flying while intoxicated.  Jonathan Douglas Kurilla crashed his ultra-light plane into Gull Lake last year. 

Kurilla was arrested at a local restaurant following the incident.  He claims he didn't start drinking until he got on the rescue boat and on shore.  However, a state toxicologist says he would have had to toss down 11 shots of 100 proof alcohol in the 20 minute it took for lawmen to catch up to him. 


A passenger on the plane, Estelle Paulson, was treated at a local hospital.