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Australia: 15-month suspended sentence for drunk man who aimed blue laser at police helicopter

A South Australia Police helicopter checking on COVID compliance during a three-day lockdown was hit seven times by a blue laser on November 20, 2020. There was no injury to the crew but one officer was dazzled temporarily by the beam.

Mark Andrew Golka laser helicopter South Australia 01 Mark Andrew Golka laser helicopter South Australia 02
Two frames from the South Australia Police helicopter. In the first frame the laser beam is aimed to the left of the camera. In the second frame the beam is aimed directly at the camera lens. The human eye would have a similar effect, first seeing the beam then being dazzled and flashblinded by the bright direct light.


According to the Herald Sun, the laser was "2000 times more powerful than the legal limit", which would make it 2000 milliwatts or 2 watts.

The perpetrator was found to be Mark Andrew Golka, 49, who lived in the Adelaide suburb of Woodcroft. He was said to have been drinking alcohol and taking prescription pain medication when he aimed the laser. At sentencing, the judge told Golka "…that is no excuse to having committed these offences."

Golka was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended. He signed a two-year good behavior bond, will be supervised for 18 months, and will perform 80 hours of community service.

After the sentencing, his lawyer said Golka was sorry for what he had done.

From ABC News and the Herald Sun. The ABC News page includes a video of the laser illumination, from which the two frames above were taken.

Australia: Perth man aims blue laser at police helicopter

A man in Perth aimed a blue laser beam at a Western Australia Police Force helicopter on May 13 2021.

2021-05-14 Blue laser aimed at Western Australian Police Force helicopter

The helicopter crew directed ground officers to a home where the 22-year-old was arrested. He was charged with causing fear or alarm with a laser or light to people in conveyances or others. The man faces a prison term of up to seven years and a fine of up to AUS $36,000 (USD $26,600).

From The Australian

US: Pilot has eye problems after laser aimed at California police aircraft

After several reports of lasers being aimed at military and civilian aircraft north of San Francisco, a suspect who repeatedly aimed at a California Highway Patrol (CHP) aircraft was arrested February 17 2020. It is being investigated as to whether the suspect was also responsible for the earlier laser incidents reported to Travis Air Force Base.

CHP pilot Jan Sears was directly illuminated by the blue laser beam. He later described the effect: "So it's pitch black and we're flying and all of a sudden it's like the sun just came out. It took me a minute to get my bearings…." Sears was able to control the aircraft by activating the autopilot. The CHP flight officer directed deputies on the ground to the suspect's location.

He was identified as Christopher Larsen, 33. He was charged with two state felonies for discharging a laser and aiming a laser at an aircraft, and may also be charged with a federal felony.


Christopher Larsen


Sears said Larsen was "using a laser that's illegal, much more expensive and highly powerful." He noted that "In a week we are lased once maybe twice; sometimes we catch them, sometimes we don't."


A laser similar in design to the one Larson was found with


Sears told NBC Bay Area that he was "still having residual effects with my left eye. I feel that something has happened." He said he had experience with green lasers before, but "this was a blue laser. It was the worst type to get involved with." Protective eyewear was on board, but it was intended to reduce green light, not blue.

From CBS San Francisco Bay Area, GoodDay Sacramento, KSRO and NBC Bay Area

Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: Most lasing incidents involve green light, so glasses that reduce the intensity of green light can be useful. Glasses are available which reduce green and blue — and even green, blue and red. However, the more wavelengths of light that the glasses attenuate, the more overall light is also dimmed. Plus this can make it more difficult to differentiate colors on the aircraft instrument panel. More information is on the page about laser glare protection eyewear.

UK: London man, 55, aims laser at helicopter over noise spoiling his audiobook

A 55-year-old northwest London man aimed a blue laser beam at a police helicopter after the noise irritated him while listening to an audiobook.

On July 18 2019, the helicopter was searching near Stephen Reid's home when the man pointed the laser at it. His location was identified, and Reid threw the laser into his back yard when illuminated by the helicopter spotlight.

Officers on the ground had to threaten to force their way into Reid's home before he opened the door. A blue and a green laser pen were found by a canine unit. Reid admitted the lasers were his.

In court in January 2020, Reid's attorney said Reid was "plagued by police helicopters searching for individuals…. Something got into his head and he utilized this laser pen to cause what could have been a catastrophe."

On January 29 2020, the judge gave Reid a four-month sentence suspended for 18 months, plus he had to complete a 60-day rehabilitation program.

The judge said "Any distraction and that helicopter is crashing into an urban area with devastating consequences. You were irritated, frustrated and annoyed at what they were doing interrupting your audiobook and it’s clear you were not thinking about the consequences of your behaviour. By the finest margin I can imagine I can suspend this sentence. You’ve caught me on a good day."

From Metro.co.uk

US: 3 men point blue laser at helicopter; 1 arrested

Three men pointed a blue laser at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter, at about 1 am on July 19 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. One of the men was located by the San Antonio Police Department; the other two men ran off.

From Fox San Antonio

Australia: 54-year-old arrested for aiming blue laser at police helicopter multiple times

A 56-year-old man was arrested for aiming a blue laser pointer four separate times at a police helicopter. The June 29 2018 incident took place in Oakford, an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

The laser pointer was confiscated and the unnamed man was charged with “causing fear or alarm to the driver or pilot of a conveyance or others.” He will appear in court later in July 2018.

From Coastlive.com.au

US: Virginia man arrested for aiming blue laser at police helicopter

A 45-year-old man from Centreville (Va.) was arrested for aiming a blue laser pointer three times at a Fairfax County Police Department helicopter on September 23 2017.

According to a police Facebook post, “the officers were temporarily blinded by the laser, but there were no serious injuries.” The source of the laser was traced to a vehicle on Manassas Gap Court in Centreville.

Carlos Zapata Rivero was charged with shining a light/laser pointer at an aircraft, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

From WJLA TV and FairfaxNews


US: Two-time laser offender sentenced to 2 years in Las Vegas incidents

Thirty-year-old James David Zipf of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced on September 23 2014 to two years in prison for aiming a blue laser at Las Vegas-area police helicopters six times total, on January 30 and February 3 2014.

Zipf had previously been convicted in 2011, of pointing a blue laser at a Phoenix police helicopter. It is not known what fine or sentence, if any, came out of the 2011 conviction.

In June 2014 he pleaded guilty to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, a felony in the U.S. since February 2012. In addition to the prison sentence, Zipf also must undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment. He has until December 30 2014 to report to prison.

From KLAS-TV and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. LaserPointerSafety previously reported on Zipf’s February 2014 indictment, and details of the lasing incidents, in this story.

New Zealand: Man charged with using "light sabre" to illuminate police helicopter 4 km away

An Auckland man faces up to 14 years in prison for shining a powerful laser almost 4 km towards the Eagle police helicopter.

On December 1 2013, Kristian Larsen aimed a blue laser “like a light sabre” from his home in central Auckland towards the aircraft which was taking off from the police helicopter base at Mechanics Bay. The laser beam led police to Larsen’s location, where he was arrested.

The 44-year-old man is charged with endangering transport.

Police said similar lasers are shown on YouTube videos as cutting through plastic and setting fire to objects. An investigation is ongoing.

From the New Zealand Herald

US: UPDATED - Las Vegas area man, previously convicted of aiming lasers at helicopters, does it again six times

A 30-year-old Las Vegas area man was indicted February 18 2014 on six felony counts of aiming a laser at police helicopters.

James David Zipf had been convicted in Phoenix, Arizona in 2011 for aiming a blue laser at police helicopters. In May 2013 he moved to Henderson, Nevada, 12 miles from Las Vegas.

The indictment stated that Zipf aimed a laser at Las Vegas Metro Police helicopters six times between January 31 and February 12 2014. In one of the attacks, the pilot was so disoriented that he landed the aircraft and ended his shift.

At a detention hearing, Zipf was ordered to remain in jail. The judge said he had endangered the helicopter crews, was a threat to the community, was not truthful to federal agents, and was using drugs.

Zipf faces up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines for each of the six counts.

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MyNews3 and CBS Las Vegas

UPDATED - September 24 2014: Zipf was sentenced to two years in prison. He also must undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment. A news reported noted that one of the flight officers in a February 3 2014 incident experienced a severe headache. From KLAS-TV

US: 45 days for "bored" Ohio man who lased police helicopter

A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 45 days in Franklin County (Ohio) jail and 18 months probation on November 7 2013, for aiming a blue laser beam at a Columbus police helicopter.

Michael Rademacher, a traveling maintenance man, had purchased the blue laser and used it to etch his initials on his work tools. On the night of March 21 2013, he was bored and decided to aim it at the police helicopter. One pilot said it was the brightest he had seen pointed at him. After regaining their bearings, the pilots identified the source of the beam and notified ground officers. Rademacher initially said he was not involved but he confessed after officers armed with a search warrant found his laser.

In September 2013, Rademacher pleaded guilty to one felony count of possession of criminal tools. As part of the plea bargain, the more serious charge of interfering with the operation of an aircraft was dropped.

If Rademacher violates probation, he will be imprisoned for 12 months. Rademacher also lost his job as a maintenance man due to his arrest and plea.

From the Columbus Dispatch

New Zealand: UPDATED - Man arrested for 'painting' police helicopter with laser

The police Eagle helicopter was ‘laser painted” by a blue laser, early in the morning of December 1 2013. The laser came from the central business district of Auckland. A 44-year-old man was arrested and charged with interfering with the helicopter with reckless disregard for the safety of its occupants.

From the New Zealand Herald

UPDATE May 30 2014: Kristian Larsen was sentenced on May 30 to alcohol treatment, 100 hours of community service, and 12 months probation after being convicted of endangering transport. Police said the pilot was momentarily blinded and had a headache the day after the December 1 2013 lasing. The judge called Larsen’s actions a “drunken escapade.” Larsen said he regretted his actions: “We all make mistakes, and this was mine to make.” From the New Zealand Herald

US: Denver police "swarm" a home after blue laser is aimed at airplane

“Police came from every direction” to search a west Denver home, after a pilot reported a laser beam aimed at an airplane on August 15 2013. A police helicopter responding to the report was able to locate an active laser and guided ground units to the home. According to a TV report, as police swarmed the home the “neighbors had no idea what was happening.”

One neighbor interviewed said a man had aimed a “bright blue light” at her children. A woman in the police-targeted house said her son-in-law was contacted by police but could not say if he was charged. She did say that police said they would turn the case over to the FBI.

The house is located about 21 miles southwest of Denver International Airport.

According to the FAA, there were 32 Denver-area laser/aircraft incidents during 2012, compared with 41 from January 1 to August 15 2013.

From Fox31 Denver

US: Columbus man indicted for lasing police helicopter

A man was indicted May 10 2013 for aiming a blue laser beam at a Columbus (Ohio) police helicopter. Michael Rademacher, 27, faces one count of interfering with the operation of an aircraft with a laser, and one count of possession of criminal tools. (It was not clear if the laser was the “criminal tool.”) He faces up to nine years in prison if convicted on both counts.

The incident happened March 21 2013, when officers in the helicopter were hit by the bright blue beam. They were startled but were able to regain their composure and located the source as Rademacher’s home. Ground officers searched the home and recovered a “high-powered laser.”

From 10TV.com and the Columbus Dispatch

UK: 6 month sentence for Weston man

Alexander Nicholls of Weston-super-Mare in Avon, Somerset, was sentenced to six months in prison on July 16 2012, for aiming a blue laser pen at a police helicopter. At about 2 am on May 12 2012, 23-year-old Nicholls was trying to find aircraft when he spotted the helicopter. He illuminated it for about six minutes, according to the prosecutor. The beam hit one of the pilot’s eyes, although no injury was mentioned in news reports. The helicopter crew helped lead ground officers to Nicholls’ house, where the pen was found hidden in a cupboard.

Nicholls’ attorney said he did not mean to intentionally endanger the aircraft. He pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or people in an aircraft.

Alexander Nicholls laser
Six month sentence for Alexander Nicholls


The six month sentence was intended as a “deterrent” because “the result could well have been catastrophic,” according to the chair of the bench.

Statistics show that from January through mid-July 2012, there were 31 reported laser incidents in Avon and Somerset, compared with 26 for the same period last year.

From the Weston Mercury

US: 1-watt blue laser used for first time, in Glendale illumination

A 1-watt blue laser was aimed twice at a Glendale CA police helicopter on August 14 2011. 30-year-old Avo Garabedian was arrested by ground units directed to his location.

From La Canada Valley Sun

ADDITIONAL INFO: This is the first aviation incident in which it is confirmed that a 1-watt blue handheld laser was used. LaserPointerSafety.com has learned that Garabedian used a Wicked Lasers Spyder III Arctic. This was the first widely sold 1-watt blue handheld laser; it received significant worldwide press attention when it was introduced in June 2010.

Below are some additional facts and links about this type of laser.Click to read more...

US: Fla. man accepts plea; did not think laser could reach aircraft

A 34-year-old Florida man pleaded guilty to one count of pointing a laser light at a driver or pilot, a third-degree felony. He avoided up to five years of prison and instead received one year probation, 140 hours of community service, and agreed not to possess a laser pointer.

Michael Anthony Fowler
One year probation, 140 hours of community service --- and cannot own a laser pointer

Michael Anthony Fowler of Silver Springs Shores was arrested Dec. 2 2010 after a “bluish laser light” illuminated a Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Ocala.com quoted him as saying “I didn’t even think the laser pointer could reach that far.” Fowler told the news site that he was the second person in Florida history to be charged with that offense, after Frank Newton Anderson.

From Ocala.com and Gainesville.com