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US: Arrest in Sacramento laser incident
08 Jun 2011 -- Categories: Aviation incidents | Arrests
On June 7 2011, a Sacramento police helicopter was struck four times “each lasting several seconds”, forcing it to break off a search for a stolen car. The crew used an infrared camera to locate the person aiming at them. 43-year-old Don Watson was arrested in his backyard with a green laser. He was booked on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft.
Don Watson
Watson’s stepfather told Fox40 that Watson bought the laser the day before and was told “Don’t point it at anything in the sky.” The stepfather said of Watson, “He’s an alcoholic … he has no sense whatsoever when he’s drunk.”
A pilot on the helicopter said that a laser will “give you sudden headaches and temporary blindness. It’s very dangerous.”
From the Sacramento Bee and Fox40.com