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mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2100-01-01T00:00:00-05:00

News: Aviation incidents This webpage has a chronological list of selected aviation-related laser pointer incidents from 1987 to mid-2021. We stopped updating these news items in mid-2021 but we do update U.S. FAA statistics each year. We also have news pages for non-aviation incidents, and for all other laser pointer news (includes overall statistics about incidents, new laws and regulations, and safety warnings and publications). In addition, the What’s new at the website page lists major changes, updates, and additions to LaserPointerSafety.com. .

US: FAA gives reasons for laser pointer incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2022-02-16T10:58:30-05:00

A February 15 2022 article in Aviation Week said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration "has compiled a list of possible reasons laser pointer incidents continue. ...• The abundance of lasers in stores and online ...• Stronger power levels that enable lasers to hit aircraft at higher altitudes • Green lasers, which are more visible to the human eye than red ones • Greater awareness by pilots reporting laser incidents, due in large part to the FAA’s extensive outreach program." The information appears in a story, written by Rob Mark, titled "What's Behind The Rise In Laser Pointer Incidents?" Some other reasons discussed in the article include the difficulty in finding perpetrators, and the fact that fines and jail do not appear to be a deterrent.

US: 8 months in prison for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-09-16T11:20:26-04:00

A 27-year-old Alabama man was sentenced to eight months in prison for aiming a laser pointer at a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office helicopter. On April 11 2020, the helicopter was working on a mission to recover stolen weapons when it was illuminated by a laser "numerous" times. The laser strikes happened while flying below an approach path for the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Information from the crew eventually led to Gabriel Lopez Mathews. He was indicted January 26 2021, pleaded guilty in April 2021 and was sentenced September 15 2021. From CBS42 and ABC3340 News

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-09-13T16:45:01-04:00

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. ...In the first frame the laser beam is aimed to the left of the camera. ... 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. ...He was said to have been drinking alcohol and taking prescription pain medication when he aimed the laser. ...He signed a two-year good behavior bond, will be supervised for 18 months, and will perform 80 hours of community service. ...The ABC News page includes a video of the laser illumination, from which the two frames above were taken.

US: Probation and fine for "bored" man who aimed laser pointer at helicopter during Milwaukee protests

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-09-13T15:37:58-04:00

A man who said he aimed a laser pointer at law enforcement aircraft due to boredom was sentenced to a year of probation and a fine of $8,000. The laser strikes occurred seven times between May 31 and June 7 2021 in the summer of 2020 during protests in Milwaukee. ... Ground officers then went in and arrested 39-year-old Jeremiah Belen, a resident of Milwaukee. ...He said he had the laser for astronomy pointing with his two children. He aimed at the aircraft because he was bored after being laid off during the COVID pandemic. Prosecutors said they wanted the felony conviction to "send a message" that aiming at aircraft, especially during civil unrest, is dangerous. Belen could have received up to five years in prison for his action, but was given probation due to no previous criminal history and having found a job since his arrest.

Canada: Man who pointed laser at aircraft assaults arresting officer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-09-11T10:55:45-04:00

On September 9 2021, pilots flying over Vernon, British Columbia reported seeing a green laser beam aimed at them. Royal Canadian Mounted Police located a suspect. The man attempted to assault the arresting officer. Additional officers arrived to help stop the man from resisting arrest. The arresting officer was not injured. The unnamed suspect is 39 years old and a resident of Vernon. He is charged under the Criminal Code, and under the Aeronautics Act, and faces up to five years in prison and up to CDN $100,000 (USD $79,000) in fines.

Ireland: "High intensity laser attack" during Coast Guard rescue

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-08-25T12:45:29-04:00

A Coast Guard helicopter based in Dublin was targeted by what the crew described as "a very high intensity green laser" light on August 22 2021, while looking for a man who fell overboard from a container ship, 16 miles offshore. The helicopter, working with a Royal National Lifeboat Institution all-weather lifeboat from Wicklow, was able to rescue the man. The crew was illuminated by laser light both on their flight from Dublin Airport to the ship, and during the return trip as well. It was not stated how much the laser light adversely affected the helicopter's search. An Garda Siochána police were unable to locate the source of the laser. From Joe, the Independent, and Q102

Scotland: Laser forces medical helicopter to take patient to hospital further away

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-08-12T16:25:28-04:00

A medical helicopter transporting a sick child was trying to land at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on July 25 2021 when it was illuminated by a laser pen. The landing attempt was broken off. Instead, the helicopter went 9 air miles to Edinburgh Airport where the child was put into an ambulance and taken 14 miles by road back to the Royal Infirmary. A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said "This was an incredibly reckless action that could have endangered the patient and crew, and Police Scotland are investigating." As of August 11 2021, no perpetrator had been identified. From The Scotsman and the Daily Record

US: Pennsylvanian indicted for aiming laser pointer at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-08-11T12:08:14-04:00

From an August 10 2021 news release from the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation: On August 10, 2021, Raji Yusuf was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. The indictment alleges that on June 26, 2021, Yusuf knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Philadelphia Police helicopter while it was in flight. DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ...Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

US: Two years probation for Louisville man who aimed a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-06-02T12:30:36-04:00

From a June 1 2021 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky: A Louisville man was sentenced last week to 2 years of probation, including 8 months of home incarceration, for aiming a laser pointer at a Louisville Metro Police helicopter. According to court documents, Manuel Martin Salazar-Leija, Jr., 26, of Louisville, aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an LMPD helicopter on September 25, 2020, during protests in the city. Lasers can blind pilots and cause the aircraft to crash, and aiming a laser at an aircraft is a federal felony offense. In addition to 2 years of probation and 8 months of home incarceration, United States District Court Judge David Hale ordered Salazar-Leija, Jr., to pay a $2,500 fine and the costs of his home incarceration. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser prosecuted the case. ...In 2020, there were 181 pilot reports of laser illuminations in Kentucky, 73 of which occurred in Louisville.

US: Powerful laser claimed to be 5,000 mW aimed at police helicopter in Nashville

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-16T11:18:01-04:00

A news report said it was a "5,000-milliwatt laser, a powerful green military-grade laser with an effective range of 10 miles." ...Military units may use handheld battery-powered lasers in the 5 watt range, but often these have additional features such as lenses to spread out the beam for dazzling persons coming to checkpoints. A 5 watt handheld battery-powered laser can be an eye hazard (hence the additional lenses to safely spread the beam) but for offensive purposes it would not be effective to say, burn skin or damage objects. ...The news story did not indicate specifics, but here are some safety distances for a 5 watt, 532 nanometer (green) laser with a tight beam divergence (spread) of 1 milliradian. ...Laser safety experts say a person should be 1,640 feet or further away from such a laser in order to have a "vanishingly small chance" of an eye injury. ...A 5W laser could cause temporary flashblindness to about 1.5 miles; the viewer would have an afterimage that would fade, similar to after a camera's flash goes off. The laser light creates veiling glare to about 6.6 miles meaning that a viewer could not see past the laser light while it was in their eyes, but could see when the beam moved off their eyed.

US: Man aimed laser at police helicopter during Detroit protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-15T17:36:41-04:00

A 32-year-old man faced federal charges after aiming a laser at a Detroit Police helicopter during a protest on August 23 2020. The protesters were from the group Detroit Will Breathe, self-described as "an integrated, youth-led, militant organization fighting against police brutality and systemic racism in Detroit." During a march, at about 12:30 am, the helicopter was illuminated intermittently for about seven seconds by a laser. ...Video from the helicopter, a city bus, and local buildings led investigators to Michael Sam Hurd of Fennville, Michigan. ...On May 14 2021 he was charged with a federal felony with a maximum five years of prison time, and was released on $10,000 bail. After the hearing, Hurd's lawyer said "This happened in the context of a Black Lives Matter demonstration going on, so it is not like it took place at an airport or anything…. ... Whatever actions on the part of my client — we are still trying to get to the bottom of it — I’m sure were done in defense of others.”

Australia: Perth man aims blue laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-14T18:25:10-04:00

A man in Perth aimed a blue laser beam at a Western Australia Police Force helicopter on May 13 2021. 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: NJ man interfered with helicopter search for missing person

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-12T23:20:36-04:00

A New Jersey State Police helicopter was searching for a missing man on May 6 2021 when they saw a laser pointed at them. The crew identified the location and saw a person with the laser get into a vehicle. Ground officers were able to find the vehicle on the Garden State Parkway at milepost 61. They arrested Jordan Prutzman of Tuckerton, NJ, who admitted that he pointed the laser at the helicopter. Prutzman, 32, was charged with interference with transportation, a state charge. He may also be charged with federal crimes. From New Jersey 101.5 and Jersey Shore Online

Australia: 16-year-old arrested for aiming laser at commercial flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-12T15:30:51-04:00

A 16-year-old was arrested May 9 2021 for aiming a green laser beam at a commercial airplane landing at Sydney Airport. The unnamed teenager was in his backyard in Bexley, a few miles from the airport runway. A New South Wales Police Force helicopter was targeted after being sent to investigate. The teen was arrested, taken to Kogarah Police Station, and later released under the Young Offenders Act. The arrest came just a few days after NSW police issued a statement about a spike of laser incidents involving aircraft in Sydney. From Daily Caller and 9News

Australia: Man apologizes for aiming at police helicopter because it was too loud

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-06T13:26:53-04:00

A 46-year-old Sydney-area man pleaded guilty on May 5 2021 for aiming a laser at a New South Wales police helicopter. He said it was "a deterrent so I could go to sleep." ...Wayne Wiggins told reporters he did not know the helicopter was operated by the police. He grabbed the laser, which he had purchased from a shop without an Australian-required permit, and aimed it at the aircraft because "just constantly hearing the [buzz] was annoying." He went on to say "It's the first time I've ever been in trouble in 46 years. ... I'm sorry for what I did and damn sure it will never happen again ... ...Wiggins pleaded guilty to an act with intent to prejudice the safety of an aircraft.

Australia: NSW Police Force warns during "spike" in laser pointer strikes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-05T22:49:59-04:00

Aviation Commander Detective Superintendent Brad Monk said police want to remind the community of how dangerous laser pointer strikes on aircraft can be. ...It is an offence to aim a laser pointer at any aircraft or use one in a public place without a reasonable excuse. Laser pointers with a power level greater than one milliwatt are classified as a prohibited weapon and require a permit through the Firearms Registry, if needed for work or astronomy. ..."Remember, we have a birds-eye-view from the air and can easily identify where a laser beam is coming from." ...Late last month, PolAir8 was patrolling the Pendle Hill area when a laser pointer was allegedly directed at the aircraft on three separate occasions from a backyard in Toongabbie about 12.10am on Wednesday 21 April 2021. ...Police arrested a 45-year-old man and seized a laser pointer before taking him to Parramatta Police Station, where he was charged with do act with intent to prejudice safety of aircraft. ...Police will allege in court that a tactical flight officer, a 41-year-old male senior constable, suffered temporary blurred vision and discomfort after encountering the laser beam.

US: Man who pointed laser at passenger aircraft turned in by others

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-05T22:08:10-04:00

A man was arrested for aiming a "high-intensity laser" at an American Airlines Airbus A320 with 136 passenters on May 4, 2021. Flight 2232 originated in Charlotte NC and was 10 miles from landing at the Nashville (Tennessee) International Airport when the crew was illuminated by green laser light. Police said the laser was first reported by a truck driver on Interstate 40 who was targeted. Then the pilot told the tower that a green laser had come from near a highway. ...A witness later pointed out to police a hotel room at a Quality Inn in Mt. Juliet, east of downtown Nashville, from where a laser was being aimed out the window. A man in the room was arrested by Mt. Juliet police. As of May 5, no charges had yet been filed.

Australia: Laser pointer suspect hides laser, self

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-05-05T18:16:34-04:00

From the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News, May 5 2021: A man has been arrested for allegedly pointing a laser at a police helicopter in Keysborough, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. After the alleged incident, police searched a home on Amanda Court. They say they found the laser pointer hidden in a basket in the front yard of the house. Police say that they entered the house and found a man hiding under a pile of clothes in the bedroom. He was arrested. Police will charge the 44-year-old on summons with prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft, interfering with crew or aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, possessing a prohibited weapon, and assault police.

US: FBI offers $2,500 reward for arrest of person aiming a laser at an Air Force aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-04-14T17:32:53-04:00

On April 13 2021, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for aiming a laser at an Air Force aircraft on March 9 2021. The aircraft was on approach to Savannah Air National Guard Base when it was "deliberately struck by a high-powered laser for about one minute" according to the FBI. A crew member had temporary eye damage from the laser strike. Anyone with information about the March 9 laser strike is asked to contact FBI Atlanta at 770-216-3000 or go to tips. fbi.gov. From Military.com,The Advance, and the Associated Press

UK: "Prolonged laser strike" on police helicopter over Derby

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-04-10T17:54:48-04:00

A National Police Air Service (NPAS) Midlands helicopter "suffered a prolonged laser strike" over Derby on April 9 2021. Two crew members were temporarily blinded by the laser light. Derbyshire police officers were sent to an address to speak to the persons involved. There was no word of an arrest. From Derbyshire Live

US: Citizen calls 911, concerned that laser-pointing man would aim at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-04-01T10:05:34-04:00

The following appeared in a newspaper's list of police blotter reports from Kalispell, Montana: "A customer leaving a store was concerned a man sitting in an SUV and playing with a green laser pointer in the parking lot would point it at the airstrip to mess with planes." From the April 1, 2021 Daily Inter Lake. (Despite the date, the story and the account were standard news, not an April Fools joke.) ...This is one of the first news items we have seen where a member of the general public notified authorities because of concern about pointing a laser beam at aircraft. It shows a case of a person having knowledge that lasers do present a hazard to aviation, and consequently taking action. This news item has been given a Tag "Notifying authorities" which we will use for any similar stories.

US: Crew member seeks medical help after laser aimed at Customs helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-03-29T14:30:31-04:00

A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Blackhawk helicopter was illuminated with laser light on March 24 2021 near Bellingham, Washington. One of the two CBP agents onboard sought medical attention for an unspecified eye injury or issue. The helicopter had been doing training approaches to Bellingham International Airport when the cockpit was illuminated. ... He said he did not have a laser and did not aim a laser at an aircraft. Deputies found he did have a laser pointer. He was arrested on suspicion of unlawful discharge of a laser. The CBP agent's medical condition and prognosis was not available.

US: 12 months probation for Virgina woman aiming laser at police aircraft during protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-03-24T13:07:37-04:00

A woman from Richmond, Virginia was sentenced on March 23 2021 to 12 months probation for aiming a laser beam at a police aircraft during a protest. On June 4 2020, a green laser beam was aimed at the aircraft, which was monitoring civil unrest at the [Robert E.] Lee Monument, a 21-foot tall statue of the Confederate general sitting on a 40-foot pedestal. The air crew directed officers on the ground. They found and arrested 33-year-old Amanda Robinson. ...Under federal sentencing guidelines, the mother of 4, who had no previous criminal record, could have been jailed for up to 6 months. Both her lawyer and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia asked for no jail time, because Robinson did not know that shining a laser at aircraft was hazardous, and because she cooperated with prosecutors.

UK: Virgin Atlantic flight turns back after laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-03-17T05:51:43-04:00

"On 15 March 2021 flight VS453, operating from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, returned to Heathrow after take-off due to a laser beam incident upon departure. The safety and security of our people and our customers is paramount and this was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew. ...As is standard procedure for a laser incident, we swiftly notified the police and remain in close contact with them and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)." ...At about 10:00 pm, while flying at an altitude of 41,000 ft, it began a U-turn southwest of Paris. ...This is the second time we are aware of that a commercial flight has turned back after having laser light from the ground interfere with the crew. On February 14 2016, a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to New York was illuminated by green laser light 6 miles west of London while flying at 8,000 feet. ...We have also reported on a few other times that aircraft have changed course, or the many times that police or other public service flights have had a mission interrupted, because of laser interference.

UK: 59-year-old convicted of aiming a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-03-03T12:39:28-05:00

A 59-year-old man was convicted after a "sustained laser attack" on a National Air Police Helicopter flying over Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire on April 11 2020. The helicopter crew directed Humberside Police to a location where Trevor Cheeseman was arrested. He pleaded not guilty in December 2020. In early March 2021, Cheeseman was given a 12 month sentence, suspended four months. He was convicted of shining a laser beam towards a person providing air services, causing the laser beam to dazzle or distract that person. From GrimsbyLive. Although the story says the sentence was 12 months with four months suspended, the headline states "Man avoids prison…" The apparent discrepancy may be due to factors of British law or judicial terms.

US: Colorado group says crew member lost vision permanently after 2017 laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-03-01T16:37:00-05:00

Two separate February 19 2021 news reports about a Colorado air medical transport group, Flight For Life, say that in 2017 a crew member suffered permanent vision loss after being illuminated with laser light from the ground. According to an article in the Pueblo Chieftain, "In 2017, a respiratory therapist flying out of Denver permanently lost 30% of his vision in his right eye." This was echoed in a TV report on KRDO, where a registered nurse said "In 2017, we had a crew member hit with a laser, he lost 30% of his vision in his right eye, and that was permanent damage." Another nurse told the TV reporter that after a laser illumination, "I lost my vision for a few minutes due to black circles. And then I had about a three to seven day [period] of almost just sand and painful vision for a few days." ...Both accounts described how Flight For Life helicopter crews in Southern Colorado have been subjected to laser illuminations that have been recently increasing. ...According to the Pueblo Chieftain article, "Several Flight For Life members across Colorado have had to take time off in the past to allow their eyes to heal after a laser strike."

UK: Six months for "idiot", "liar" who claimed he pointed his laser at a UFO

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-02-27T11:56:09-05:00

A judge sentenced a 39-year-old man to six months in jail, after he repeatedly aimed a laser at a police helicopter, claiming it was a UFO. On August 17 2020, the aircraft was searching for a missing person in Keighley, West Yorkshire when it was illuminated by laser light multiple times. ...When Benjamin Fort was arrested, he first said he had been using the laser to look for rabbits, then said he aimed the laser at a "UFO". Fort said the laser pen was inexpensive so he did not think the light would get near the helicopter. At trial, the judge said both explanations were lies: "…the reality is there was no, and never could be, any justification for what you did." ...On that date, the judge said he wanted Fort to spend years in prison because he was an "idiot" for aiming at the helicopter. He did not think such a long sentence would be sustained at appeal, so he handed down a sentence of six months.

US: Two teen brothers arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-02-21T14:42:20-05:00

Two brothers, age 15 ad 18, were arrested on February 20 2021 for aiming a laser at a Kern County Sheriff's Office helicopter in Bakersfield. The pilot was able to direct ground officers to a home where the two teens were arrested for discharging a laser at an aircraft while in flight. From KGET.com

US: Florida man aims laser towards helicopter, arrested with meth

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-02-18T14:47:36-05:00

33-year-old Stephen Gladu was arrested February 15 2021 for shining a green laser three times at an Indian River County Sheriff's Office helicopter. Both the pilot and tactical officer had the laser light shined into their eyes. They found the source was a vehicle. A deputy on the ground stopped Gladu, who told them he had been watching the stars. He said he was not aiming at the helicopter and any hit was accidental. During the arrest, Gladu was found to have 7 grams of crystal methamphetamine in a baggie. Gladu, who lives in Riverview in Hillsborough County, was charged with misuse of laser lighting and possession of a controlled substance.

US: Virginia woman pleads guilty to aiming laser at police aircraft during protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-01-27T23:06:13-05:00

The Metropolitan Aviation Unit is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement aviation unit made up of the Henrico County Police Department, the Richmond Police Department, and the Chesterfield County Police Department that conducts aerial operations in the Central Virginia area. ...Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jamie Mazzone, Mid-Atlantic Region Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. ...Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-120.

US: Bakersfield Calif. man indicted for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-01-26T20:58:00-05:00

From a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California, dated January 25 2021: ...FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Nathan Hernandez, 18, of Bakersfield, was arrested today for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. ...According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2020, Hernandez aimed the beam of a laser pointer at the Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter Air-1. Hernandez is scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe on Tuesday, Jan. 26. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. ...Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

US: Two arrested during MLK Day demonstration at San Jose mayor's home

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-01-20T15:36:09-05:00

Two persons were arrested for aiming a laser pointer at a police aircraft and at officers on the ground, during a Martin Luther King. ... Day demonstration at the home of the mayor of San Jose, Calif. One person was an adult; the other was a juvenile. The January 18 2021 incident resulted in declaring the gathering an "unlawful assembly" so police could legally disperse the crowd. In a tweet, San Jose police said of the laser strike "This is not only a felony but extremely dangerous for our pilot and crew. This will not be tolerated." From a San Francisco Chronicle article (paywall) excerpted at Patch.com

Wales: Man claims rescue helicopter in the way of laser beam; search called off due to laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2021-01-07T15:48:37-05:00

A 29-year-old man was sentenced on January 6 2021 to 30 weeks in prison for aiming a £9 laser pen at a police helicopter searching for a missing teenager in Swansea, Wales. On September 2 2020, a National Police Air Service helicopter with a crew of three was searching for a missing female teen at about 2:40 am when it was hit by five or six "bright green, sharp lights" lasting 5-10 seconds each. ...The court was told that Fellowes had 30 previous offenses, including battery, possession of a knife, criminal damage, theft, and possession of cannabis with intent to supply. ...The judge found that Fellowes had not deliberately meant to harm the crew but his actions could have resulted in an accident, and did result in diverting the missing person search. ...On this occasion they were performing a vital duty and assisting us to look for a vulnerable and suicidal young girl who had been reported missing…. The actions of this individual not only prevented them from carrying out these important duties but potentially could have had devastating effects in causing the helicopter to crash." The head of safety at the National Police Air Service said during 2020 there had been an average of six laser attacks per month on its aircraft.

US: Florida man arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter; pilot gets medical treatment

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-11T22:38:52-05:00

A 32-year-old man was arrested for repeatedly aiming a green laser beam at an Orange County (Florida) Sheriff's Office helicopter on November 5 2020. The pilot was able to direct ground officer's to the laser's location. Jason Ogle had a laser in his hand but threw it inside a house's doorway as deputies approached. ...Jason Ogle's body and head is the gray blob above the beam location in the middle of the screen. Ogle was charged with pointing a laser light at a driver or pilot. The pilot sought medical treatment for unspecified issues with his eyes. ...Video from the helicopter is available on the web page.

US: Georgia man arrested for pointing a laser at a police helicopter "for fun"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-11T10:59:54-05:00

On November 9 2020, a 47-year-old man was arrested for aiming a green laser at a Gwinnett (Georgia) police helicopter. The pilot helped guide ground officers to a home where they met Fredy A. Contreras. ... But after being told the laser beam was on video, he admitted pointing the laser at the helicopter "for fun." Contreras was arrested and charged with obstruction and with laser use against an aircraft. In addition, his case will be referred to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and to the U.S. Attorney for possible federal prosecution, which has a penalty of up to five years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine. ...A police spokesperson said "Pointing a laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous as it can hinder the pilot’s ability to handle the aircraft and interfere with the equipment on board. The police department wants the general public to know that this is unlawful.”

Australia: Man aims laser at police helicopter; laser found in freezer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-05T11:43:23-05:00

On November 4 2020, a laser beam was aimed at a Melbourne, Victoria police helicopter. The crew directed ground officers to a home where a man evaded the officers and tried to lock himself inside the house. Police went in through the unlocked back door and after a struggle, arrested a 43-year-old man. In the home's freezer, police found a laser pointer, as well as two imitation firearms elsewhere on the property. The man is expected to be charged with endangering the safe operation of an aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, possession of a prohibited weapon [the laser], assaulting police and resisting arrest. From 7news.com.au

UK: Man did not understand danger when aiming laser pen at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-04T11:52:49-05:00

A 23-year-old man who shone a laser pen at a helicopter dazzling its pilot did not understand how dangerous what he was doing could be, a court has heard. Cosmin-Iulian Alexa of Burton-on-Trent, a market town in the West Midlands, pleaded guilty to shining a laser beam at the helicopter on September 15 2019. In a November 3 2020 sentencing hearing in Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court, Alexa said he had a lack of understanding of the consequences. Alexa was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison. He could have received 12 months, but the prosecution suspended this because Alexa pleaded guilty and showed remorse for his actions. In addition, he had an 8-week nightly curfew, had to pay £85 (USD $111) in court costs and a £122 ($160) victims surcharge, and had his laser pen confiscated. From Derbyshire Live

US: 3 trick-or-treaters arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter on Halloween

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-03T12:56:04-05:00

Fifteen-year-old Alexander Harry, 18-year-old Xavier Satchell and 40-year-old Adam Schleiser were charged with a third-degree felony, misuse of a laser. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said “I can’t begin to explain how dangerous it is to put our aviation crew members in jeopardy by pointing a laser light at their eyes. Any person who intentionally tries to harm my family members will go to jail.” In a separate incident the night before, a 45-year-old area man was arrested for pointing a laser at the Lee County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit helicopter. Miguel Javier Jimenez, 45, also was charged with misuse of a laser. He was held in the Lee County Jail under $5,000 bond. ...From Shore News Network and Wink News

US, Mexico: Countries working to identify lasers aimed at US border patrol helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-11-03T12:49:14-05:00

U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Yuma is working with the government of Mexico to identify persons aiming lasers at border patrol aircraft from the Mexican side or the border. The director of the Yuma Air Branch said he lasing is "most likely an attempt to distract … and interfere with the enforcement operations." Equipment on the aircraft can identify the location of the laser perpetrator; this information is then forwarded to Mexican authorities. ...In February 2020, it happened "several times in a shift and over several days as well" according to a special operations supervisor. The Yuma Sector Border Patrol's Foreign Operations Branch contacted the government of Mexico, who tried but were unable to apprehend laser perpetrators. Later in the year (approximately October 2020), an operation was conducted in Texas to specifically identify perpetrators. ...The special operations supervisor said the goal is to not only locate and arrest laser perpetrators, but to stop lasing of border patrol aircraft from happening.

US: California man arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-10-29T14:03:01-04:00

A man was arrested on October 27 2020 for deliberately tracking a red laser beam at a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Division helicopter, near Oak Hills, California. David Whitaker, 22, was stopped in a vehicle. An officer said that Whitaker was trying to see how far the laser would be visible, and knew he was aiming at a helicopter. He was arrested for pointing a laser at an aircraft, and was held in jail on $25,000 bail. From VVNG

US: Man pleads guilty to aiming laser beam at airplane in Montana

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-10-29T13:54:36-04:00

A Missoula, Montana man today admitted he aimed a laser beam at an airplane as it was approaching the Great Falls airport, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. ...The prosecution said in court documents that at about 9:40 p.m. on March 3 2020, two pilots operating a SkyWest flight reported that on their descent to the Great Falls airport, the plane was hit with a bright green laser that lit up the cockpit. ...Loven explained that he was unaware it was a federal offense to shine a laser at a plane and just wanted to “test out the distance of the laser.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Transportation Security Administration, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Airport Security. ...Contrary to some news reports, the only punishment was probation according to a spokesperson for the U.S. District Attorney's office who spoke to LaserPointerSafety.com on March 1 2021. A story by KRTV news quoted court documents saying that "Loven’s lengthy criminal history spans three decades and includes convictions for burglary, theft, and various public nuisance crimes. ...From a February 25 2021 press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana, and KRTV.com

US: San Diego man aimed laser at police helicopter during protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-10-21T14:34:25-04:00

38-year-old Stephen Glenn McLeod aimed a laser at a San Diego Police Department helicopter multiple times, during a protest on August 28 2020. He was arraigned October 20 on a federal felony charge which has a penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. His next court date is November 20. From NBC San Diego

US: Two separate arrests for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter; in one, pilot blinded for 3-5 minutes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-09-25T22:58:46-04:00

In two separate incidents, a laser beam was pointed at the Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office helicopter. On September 22 2020, 29-year-old Ryan Hutton was arrested for aiming a green laser pointer at the helicopter while he was on a boat. ... The pilot's vision in his right eye was affected for about three to five minutes "like a flashbulb going off in front of his eye" according to a news story. Hutton told arresting officers he thought the helicopter was a drone. A day later, 60-year-old Gregory Marr aimed at the Sheriff's Office helicopter while they were conducting a search. Officers from nearby Flagler County were directed to Marr's home. ...Both men were charged with pointing a laser at a driver or pilot.

Canada: Four laser illuminations over Vancouver Island

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-07-30T13:34:54-04:00

A Cessna pilot reported being illuminated by a green laser for about 10 seconds on July 26 2020. Three other laser incidents were reported by airplane and helicopter pilots on July 28. All four illuminations occurred over Saltair, on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. There had been previous reports of laser interference in late June 2020. From the Nanaimo News Bulletin and CTV News

Canada: Man aims laser at aircraft, police; results in 14 criminal charges

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-07-23T16:53:56-04:00

Investigators have laid multiple drug, weapons and Aeronautics Act charges following an incident where a laser was pointed at several officers. On Friday, July 17, 2020, at approximately 2:50 a.m., Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWCS) was responding to a call for service when a laser was pointed into the eyes of the Tactical Flight Officer working in HAWCS. Minutes later, a laser was also shone into the eyes of patrol officers who were in two different marked police vehicles in the downtown area. The Tactical Flight Officer was able to determine that the source of the laser came from an apartment located in the 200 block of 15 Avenue S.E. ...Kamran Sattar, 44, of Calgary has been charged with 14 criminal offences including possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, obstruction of a peace officer, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm with ammunition, careless storage of a firearm and breach of probation. Sattar was also charged with two offences under the Canadian Aviation Regulations and Aeronautics Act including projection of a directed bright light source at an aircraft and creating a hazard to safety. ...“In this case, investigators came together very quickly to identify the offender, and as a result a significant amount of methamphetamine and firearms were seized by police.”

US: California man charged after aiming laser pointer at police helicopter during protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-06-11T14:45:37-04:00

“Aiming a laser pointer at or near an aircraft could cause distraction or blindness to a pilot and the consequences could be devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “We support the Constitutional rights of free speech and assembly, but it is our duty to protect the public and law enforcement from danger.” “The use of laser pointers upon law enforcement aircraft threatened the safety of the police officers protecting lawful protestors and created a potentially dangerous incident,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Omer Meisel. “The FBI is focused on identifying and investigating individuals who commit crimes that threaten the safety of our community and will continue to work with our local partners to pursue federal prosecutions.” ...The San Diego police officers were able to locate the man who pointed the laser at the helicopter multiple times over the course of an hour as he marched with the protestors in downtown San Diego. Based on a description of the man pointing the laser, San Diego police detectives located and later identified Rudy Alvarez in the crowd of demonstrators in the vicinity of 600 G Street at approximately 9:45 p.m. ...After his arrest, detectives found a high-powered gray metal laser pointer in Alvarez’s front left pant pocket.

Canada: Passenger plane pilot said to have eye injuries near Ottawa

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-29T00:19:03-05:00

On February 15 2020, the first officer of a Jazz Aviation De Havilland Dash-8 was 14 nautical miles from Ottawa International Airport when he was struck by a green laser beam aimed at the aircraft, which seats around 50 passengers. The captain requested medical assistance for the first officer. Upon landing, he was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. He was said to have received injuries to his eyes; the nature and severity of the injuries were not reported. Transport Canada opened an investigation into the incident. From AeroTime News Hub, official CADORS report. See also Canadian airline pilots' March 11 2020 reaction to this and other laser incidents.

US: Navy says China aimed invisible "military-grade" laser at Navy aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-28T13:37:04-05:00

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was lased by People’s Republic of China (PRC) navy destroyer 161 on Feb. 17 while flying in airspace above international waters approximately 380 miles west of Guam. ...Additionally, these acts violate the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), a multilateral agreement reached at the 2014 Western Pacific Naval Symposium to reduce the chance of an incident at sea. ... The destroyer’s actions were also inconsistent with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministry of National Defense of the PRC regarding rules of behavior for safety of air and maritime encounters. The laser, which was not visible to the naked eye, was captured by a sensor onboard the P-8A. Weapons-grade lasers could potentially cause serious harm to aircrew and mariners, as well as ship and aircraft systems. ...U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest numbered fleet in the world, and with the help of 35 other maritime-nation allies and partners, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than a century, providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict. ..."#ICYMI [in case you missed it] The Chinese Navy recently pointed a laser in an unsafe and unprofessional manner at a #USNavy P-8A flying in airspace above international waters. These acts violate the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, a multilateral agreement reached at the 2014 Western Pacific Naval Symposium to reduce the chance of an incident at sea."

Canada: Pilot and paramedic have unspecified eye injuries from laser aimed at medical aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-28T13:10:17-05:00

On February 15, 2020 at approximately 8:50 p.m., an Ornge aircraft was struck by a green laser in the area of Richmond and Sherbourne Street in the downtown Toronto area. The aircraft was on route back to base at Billy Bishop Airport after completing a call to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. ... A report was filed with Toronto Police for investigation as well as a Directed Bright Light Illumination Report with Transport Canada. ...As a result of the strike, an Ornge pilot and paramedic sustained an eye injury and required evaluation from a physician at a local Toronto hospital. A video of the strike was captured by the flight crew and provided to Toronto Police. ...Under the Aeronautics Act, if an individual is convicted of pointing a laser at an aircraft, they could face up to: ...For more information about laser strikes, feel free to visit this Laser Strike Campaign page by Transport Canada.

New Zealand: Student pilot illuminated twice by laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-27T13:25:25-05:00

An airplane piloted by a student was illuminated two times within five minutes by a green laser. The incident happened as the student pilot and instructor were flaying around Wellington Airport at 10:15 pm on February 25 2020. At about the same time a day earlier, another small aircraft was targeted near the airport. In both cases, the aircraft was able to land safely but a perpetrator was not found. From 1 News

US: Young teens responsible for multiple laser strikes in California

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-26T00:34:47-05:00

During February 2020, pilots flying near Watsonville Municipal Airport reported laser beams being aimed at their aircraft. The Watsonville Police Department's Special Investigations unit found that a group of 12-to-15 year olds was responsible. Officers confiscated a "high powered" laser. According to a February 25 2020 news report, "Police say the kids thought it was funny but after speaking with officers, they realized the potential damage they could've done and apologized. Watsonville police say they're now working with the families to get the kids involved in extra-curricular activities." From KSBW.com

US: 52-year-old Georgia man jailed for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-21T19:40:27-05:00

While searching for a wanted subject, a Gwinnett County police helicopter was illuminated by a red laser February 13 2020. The crew interrupted their search and directed ground officers to a Loganville, Georgia man. 52-year-old Daniel Clair Maloney was arrested on two misdemeanors: laser use against an aircraft and obstruction. According to police, when asked by officers why he aimed the laser, Maloney said he was "just curious as to why a helicopter was in the air." Daniel Clair Maloney Maloney was released on a $3,700 bond. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

UK: Air ambulance helicopter aborts landing after laser pen exposure

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-21T19:31:47-05:00

A Wiltshire Air Ambulance helicopter on a February 20 2020 training flight aborted a landing after a laser attack. The pilot and two paramedics were attempting to land at a school in Chippenham, Wiltshire (85 miles west of London) when the illumination occurred. A spokesperson for the air ambulance charity said "This was clearly very risky for the guys up there. Fortunately, the were not on an emergency mission but clearly it is a very serious incident." Police were searching for the perpetrator. From the Swindon Advertiser

US: Miami man acquitted of charges for aiming a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-21T05:29:48-05:00

On December 24 2018, an airliner reported being hit by a laser beam near Miami International Airport. ...The helicopter crew spotted a man on a construction site with a laser, who left the construction parking field in a Ford Escape SUV. ...He was charged with misuse of a laser pointer, a third-degree felony. ...His lawyer told the Miami Herald that the area had many construction workers all wearing orange vests and that "There was absolutely no direct evidence. ... Not a single person could identify Rolando Yague as having a laser in his possession at that field.” ...Because of a 1988 prior conviction for armed robbery and attempted murder, Yague was on probation at the time of the laser incident. ... He must convince a judge that, because he was acquitted of the charge, he did not violate his probation conditions.

New Zealand: Lasers aimed at police helicopter the first day it is used

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-20T05:47:20-05:00

It was used three times the first day — and there were two incidents where lasers were aimed at the new helicopter. ...A police spokesperson said "The lasering of an aircraft is totally unacceptable behaviour and could cause serious harm to the crew of Eagle who are there for the protection and safety of all of Christchurch." Hamish Walker, Member of Parliament from Clutha-Southland, issued a press release saying the incident is evidence that the current law is too weak: “People continue to point lasers at helicopters and planes which demonstrates the current penalties in place are doing little to deter offenders. “My High-Power Laser Pointer Offences and Penalties Bill will not only deter offenders but also raise awareness about an issue which poses a great risk to pilots and passengers. ...It will also make it an offence to have a high-power laser in possession in both public and private places. ...“Laser incidents have increased 130 per cent since 2014, with 717 recorded incidents from 2014-2018 showing how crucial my Members Bill will be if we want to deter offenders.

UK: Pilot said to have laser burn in eye

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-20T04:41:58-05:00

On February 4 2020, a 21-year-old student pilot suffered a suspected laser burn to his retina while flying a light aircraft on a training flight near Chipping Norton, about 75 miles northwest of London. ...According to the Oxford Mail, "the extent of his injury is unknown at this time [Feb. 19], although it is expected he will make a full recovery and return to training." ...An investigating Thames Valley Police officer said "The trainee pilot of the first aircraft suffered injuries to the back of his eye as a result of this attack and the injuries may result in him being unable to fulfill a career in aviation. The recklessness of such acts not only endangers the aircraft and all passengers on board, but also those on the ground, as attacks such as this seriously jeopardize safety." ...UPDATE: According to a February 25 2020 article in the Evening Standard, "Due to the nature of the injuries he is currently unable to fly." The article also described an incident where a green laser was aimed at an RAF C-17 cargo plane near RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, on February 22 2020. This is roughly the same area as where the two training flights were illuminated on February 4 and 5.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-02-19T04:56:26-05:00

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. ...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. ...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. ...Sears said Larsen was "using a laser that's illegal, much more expensive and highly powerful." ...He said he had experience with green lasers before, but "this was a blue laser. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: Most lasing incidents involve green light, so glasses that reduce the intensity of green light can be useful.

US: Laser strikes near Savannah airport lead FBI, county to offer $2500 reward

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-01-30T08:44:53-05:00

Roger Floyd Hendricks, 48, of Rincon, was indicted by a U.S. District Court grand jury on three counts of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. ...The Federal Aviation Administration contacted the FBI in February for assistance in locating the source of three separate green laser strikes on aircraft inbound to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. ...“With the public’s assistance, the FBI did an outstanding job of identifying Roger Hendricks as the man responsible for aiming a powerful laser at inbound Savannah aircraft,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. ...The investigation began in February 2020 when the Federal Aviation Administration asked the FBI in February for assistance in locating the source of three separate green laser strikes on aircraft inbound to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. A victim pilot, who is a retired Marine Corps officer, helped pinpoint the origin of the strikes, and after Hendricks was identified and questioned by FBI agents, he later admitted responsibility and pled guilty May 3 in U.S. District Court. ...It is important for the public to understand that pointing any laser, even a small one, at an aircraft can obscure the pilot’s view and jeopardize the safe operations of the aircraft,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. ...The case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Joshua S. Bearden.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-01-30T07:48:23-05:00

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. ...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. ...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.

US: Florida man shot with taser after aiming laser at aircraft and police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-01-27T14:08:11-05:00

In a widely publicized incident, a man who aimed a laser at aircraft near a Florida airport was tased by officers sent to contact him. ...On January 22 2020, a man in an industrial area aimed a green laser pointer at aircraft near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, including a United Airbus A320 and Cessna Skyhawk planes that were practicing takeoffs and landings. Most reports said four aircraft were targeted, although airport police quoted in one story said only two airplanes were struck. ...Chapman was charged with aggravated assault on an officer, pointing a laser at a pilot with injury, pointing a laser at a pilot without injury and resisting without violence. ... ...Chapman was apprehended at 8224 25th Court East in Sarasota, which is the worksite of Vulcan Materials Co., a ready-mix concrete supplier according to Google Maps. From the Manatee County Sheriff's Office press release, the Orlando Sentinel via MSN, WRCBTV.com, ABC13.com, the Washington Post, WCTV, USA Today, and many other news sources and services.

US: Laser case dropped against perpetrator with "intellectual disability"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-01-23T01:13:41-05:00

Charges were dropped January 22 2020 against a West Columbus (Ohio) man who aimed a green laser at local and state police helicopters on four days in July 2019. When his home was pinpointed, officers went to the location. James M. Rhodes, 37, admitted pointing the laser at the aircraft. He was indicted on felony charges of interfering with the operation of an aircraft with a laser. After evaluation, a psychologist said Rhodes was unable to assist his attorney due to a "mild intellectual disability." Treatment would not help his condition, which was not severe enough to warrant institutionalization. Based on the evaluation, the charges were dismissed.

US: Colorado first responders encounter lasers nearly every night

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2020-01-21T15:40:33-05:00

The program director for Flight for Life emergency medical helicopters in Colorado says "We are being tagged by lasers on virtually every leg of a flight after dark." Kathleen Mayer made the comments in a January 20 2020 interview with CBS4 in Denver. She said laser illuminations can cause pilots to land prematurely, and if they have temporary vision problems, they cannot fly. Mayer also said "We see an uptick right after the holidays. I think people get the lasers for Christmas gifts and want to try them out, but they are absolutely picking the wrong target when they hit an aircraft." According to Mayer, Flight for Life made six reports to the FBI in December, regarding laser interference. From CBS4 Denver

UK: Police helicopter under "sustained attack" by laser pen

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-12-23T14:28:45-05:00

National Police Air Service reported that on December 21 2019, a crew in Exeter "came under sustained attack by a laser causing the pilot to turn away and don protective equipment. It took the crew less than a minute to identify the offender's location." A spokesperson said the crew was "safe" and the operation involved the "apprehension of violent offenders." It was not clear if the "violent offenders" referenced were the ones using the laser, or if the offenders were the initial target of the helicopter (prior to the laser attack). Devon Live reported there were 50 laser attacks on NPAS crews in 2018. From Devon Live

Chile: Protesters appear to bring down a drone with laser pointers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-11-16T16:27:00-05:00

It is not known if the pointers damaged the drone's camera, rendering it unflyable, or if the operator could still fly the drone but decided to land it. ...This is the moment a police drones is being forced to crash and land by protesters in Chile using simple pointer lasers to blind the drone. ...A lot of bright green laser beams were pointed in unison at the drone, which can be seen moving erratically, before quickly falling down to Earth. ...Some others believe the lasers' lights would blind the drone operator's vision through the camera, and the drone would go into autopilot mode and land as a failsafe. ... Speculations that between 40 to 50 lasers were being pointed at the drone have circulated online, and the video certainly demonstrates that these estimates may be true. ...So the camera sensor could be damaged, or even if not damaged, causing glare making it difficult or impossible to safely fly.

Chile: Protesters aim many beams at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-11-16T00:20:29-05:00

A YouTube video taken from a police helicopter shows protesters aiming dozens of lasers at the aircraft: A YouTube video which may have the same footage from a commercial TV station, is here. A similar situation occurred in Egypt in July 2013, with a helicopter targeted by dozens of beams. A detailed discussion of this incident is here. Thanks to MVC of Chile who brought the commercial footage to our attention.

US: Washington State man aims new laser at helicopter to see how far it would go

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-09-12T16:20:11-04:00

A Ferndale, Washington man with a newly purchased laser was located after he aimed it at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter on September 10 2019. He told officers that he aimed the green laser light at the aircraft to see how far it would reach. He said he did not know how serious a hazard the laser was to aircraft. Officers confiscated the laser, which had been purchased online. A photo shows it to be a "Laser 303" which is a certain type of handheld laser form factor. ...Police forwarded the case for consideration of federal charges. ...From the Bellingham Herald and My Ferndale News

Northern Ireleand: Laser pen aimed at police helicopter during youth disorder

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-08-14T13:39:51-04:00

During a disturbance of about 30-40 youths in Londonderry on August 12 2019, a laser pen was aimed at a Police Service of Northern Ireland helicopter. A PSNI spokesperson said the light was "endangering both the crew and local residents." During the disorder, young teens threw dozens of petrol bombs, paint bombs, bricks and bottles at police patrols, and burned a barricade. It was the third night of the incidents when the PSNI helicopter was targeted. From ITV News, Derry Journal

UK: Passenger planes escorted into airport by police helicopter after laser illuminations

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-08-14T11:56:23-04:00

Passenger airplanes were escorted by a police helicopter into Leeds Bradford Airport early in the morning of August 14 2019, to watch for laser beams which had earlier been sighted. At 11:30 pm on August 13 Jet2 flight LS274, a Boeing 737-36N arriving from Alicante, reported seeing a laser said to be four miles from the runway. At 12:48 am on August 14 Jet2 flight LS250, a Boeing 737-8K2 arriving from Fuerteventura, reported a laser at a location 5 1/2 miles from the runway. It is not known if the two laser beams came from one site which was judged to be at different distances, from a single source which moved from one location to another, or from two independent sources. ...Ward cauncillor Graham Latty said "It’s a dreadful risk trying to bring a plane down, especially as Leeds-Bradford is in a domestic setting, with houses on three sides. People who would do that clearly don’t know what they’re doing. and as a councillor, and a human being, I find it ridiculous and disgusting…. ...A UK Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said: “Anyone convicted of shining a laser at an aircraft could face a significant fine or even prison.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-07-20T17:43:33-04:00

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

Canada: RCAF helicopter lasered by tanker in East China Sea

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-06-28T14:59:19-04:00

A Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter was illuminated by a green laser beam as it flew about 50 miles off the coast of China. The aircraft's home ship, Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina, had been in the East China Sea and the Strait of Taiwan tracking tankers that may be involved in smuggling fuel to North Korea, violating United Nations sanctions against the country. ...The exact date of the incident was not reported but came sometime in mid- to late June 2019. A report by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said the laser came from a tanker, and that "there was no obvious link between alleged attacks [to U.S. aircraft in the South China Sea and near Djibouti] and the laser that was aimed at Canada's surveillance helicopter." A CBC News article a day earlier said Canadian military "reported that someone on board a Chinese fishing boat pointed a laser at a Canadian CH-148 Cyclone helicopter operating near the Strait of Taiwan recently. ... It is unclear whether fishing vessel was part of the People's Armed Forces Maritime Militia, which operates a host of civilian vessels in both the East China Sea and the South China Sea." It is not known if these were two separate incidents, or if there was a single laser incident with some confusion over whether the source was a tanker or a fishing boat.

US: WestJet pilot is said to have eyes "burned" at 10,000 feet

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-23T14:54:28-04:00

WestJet released a statement: "Laser incidents pose a serious concern to crew and aircraft safety and have serious repercussions for those found to be shining lasers in a manner that could result in injury or damage. ... When any sort of light enters the flight deck, pilots are trained to look away and maintain focus but they must also maintain vigilant with respect to their surroundings and monitor the apron prior to landing. ...A laser beam that traveled 10,000 feet would have to be extraordinarily powerful to even potentially cause an eye injury. ...To have a 50/50 chance of causing the smallest medically detectable eye injury at a distance of 10,000 feet, the laser would have to be about 1,900 watts at a 1 mrad divergence. ...There are some industrial and research lasers much more powerful than this, but to the best of our knowledge the only non-handheld lasers involved in aircraft lasings have been from laser light shows. ...It could be that the pilot had an eye effect, such as irritation from the bright flash of light, or that the pilot rubbed his or her eyes so hard that they scratched their cornea — a painful condition which heals. ...A quick summary is that 1) there have been no proven or documented eye injuries to pilots according to U.S. FAA, U.K. CAA and Transport Canada, and 2) top laser safety experts have written that "There is no evidence to suggest that lasers pointed at airplane cockpits damage pilots’ eyesight."

US: 22-year-old Florida man arrested for aiming green laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-17T19:37:09-04:00

A 22-year-old man was arrested May 16 2019 for aiming a green laser at a Manatee County (Florida) Sheriff's Office helicopter. The aircraft was on routine patrol when it was illuminated by laser light from an apartment balcony. Ground officers were directed to a high-rise condo where they found Vladamir Altman. He told officers he was the person who aimed at the helicopter. Vladamir Altman Altman was charged with a felony, that carries both fines and prison time. From WTSP.com and WFLA.com

Scotland: Teen arrested for lasing a rescue helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-17T13:36:30-04:00

A 17-year-old teenager was arrested in mid-May 2019 for aiming a laser pen at a search and rescue helicopter on January 20 2019. The aircraft was flying in southern Scotland between Newcastle and Prestwick and was over Sanquhar when it was illuminated by the laser light. At the time, police described the action as "extremely reckless" and said it could have had "catastrophic consequences" for the aircraft. From the Cumnock Chronicle and BBC News

Northern Ireland: Belfast airport warns about laser pens aimed at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-16T13:44:47-04:00

The operations director at Belfast International Airport put out a warning about recent laser pen illuminations of aircraft. Alan Whiteside referred to incidents which occurred over an eight-day period: “Five recent incidents in the Glengormley, Cloughfern, Newtownabbey, Jordanstown and North Shore areas are five too many." He said "These actions are irresponsible and potentially life threatening. Aircraft crew are responsible for the lives of every passenger on board and any disruption to cockpit operations is simply unacceptable. Those who point laser pens at aircraft need to be apprehended and processed through the courts." From the Belfast International Airport blog and the Belfast Telegraph

Canada: Military plane on taxiway is hit by laser, aborts takeoff

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-15T20:10:58-04:00

A Canadian Armed Forces CC-130 Hercules four-engine turboprop aircraft was on a taxiway at Canadian Forces Base Greenwood on May 13 2019, when a laser was aimed into the cockpit. The crew decided to abort the flight. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police searched for, but did not find, a suspect. From Global News

UK: 9 month sentence for 50-year-old, for aiming laser pen at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-13T11:44:23-04:00

A 50-year-old man was convicted by a jury of aiming a laser beam at a West Yorkshire Police helicopter. He was sentenced May 12 2019 to nine months in prison. On March 9 2019 the helicopter was searching for a car that had eluded a police stop, when it was repeatedly illuminated by green laser light. The search was abandoned so the helicopter could locate the laser suspect. Ground units arrested David Gill of Leeds. At trial he pleaded not guilty, but was convicted of endangering the safety of an aircraft. From the Daily Mail

US: Ohio man jailed and put on probation for aiming a laser at an airplane and helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-05-02T15:33:09-04:00

A 37-year-old Columbus, Ohio man was sentenced on May 1 2019 to county jail for 30 days, and given one year of probation for aiming a laser on July 19 2018 at a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 with 61 passengers on board. In addition to the aircraft illumination, Eugene L. Robinson also aimed green laser light at police helicopters during the same night. He was indicted on four counts of interfering with the operation of an aircraft, and pleaded guilty to the Southwest illumination. ...Robinson had purchased the laser for $20 and aimed it at the aircraft to see how far it would go. He called it "a boneheaded mistake … I wasn't trying to hurt anybody." In addition to the jail time and probation, Robinson is required to make a public service announcement telling viewers not to aim laser pointers at aircraft. From the Columbus Dispatch

US: UPDATED: 48 months for Houston man who aimed laser at public safety helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-04-23T16:42:05-04:00

HOUSTON – A 20-year-old Houston man has entered a guilty plea to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Bryan Aldana, 20, admitted that on June 23 2018, he pointed a green laser light at an Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter while it was in the air. ...At approximately 9:00 p.m., they were headed in the northwest direction along highway US-290 when agents observed a flash of green light coming from the left side of the aircraft. ...The pilot reversed the aircraft back to the southeast direction and was illuminated again by the green laser, which was powerful enough to light up the entire cockpit. The light caused a glare in the pilot’s eyes and obstructed his vision, forcing him to turn his head and maneuver the Airbus away from it. ...Video recordings show Aldana aiming a green laser up in the sky several times and a green laser pointer at the helicopter while sitting in a chair next to a silver sedan. ...UPDATED July 23 2019: On July 22 2019, Brian Aldana was sentenced to 48 months in prison, and will have an additional three years of supervised release after he is released from prison.

Australia: Six laser illuminations on a rescue helicopter, in one week

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-04-19T19:28:55-04:00

A rescue helicopter in Queensland, Australia was illuminated by laser light six times in a week. There were two attacks on April 10 2019, two on April 15, one on April 15 and one on April 17. The Toowoomba LifeFlight Rescue helicopter was flying over the Toowoomba suburb of Glenvale, when the laser light hit the aircraft. There was no indication of any eye effect or injury to the pilots, and no indication of the flight changing or being interrupted. After the first four events, police put out a “strong media campaign” about the dangers of aiming laser pointers at aircraft. They also asked the public to report any information they might have. Interfering with crew or aircraft carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, under the Civil Aviation Act.

US: $227,500 settlement for Bronx man cleared of aiming lasers at New York airplanes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-04-19T17:01:11-04:00

In April 2019, Frank Egan, 36, who had been falsely accused of aiming a laser pointer at airplanes landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York was awarded a $227,500 settlement from New York City. On March 9 2015, a New York Police Department helicopter was searching for the source of a laser beam that had been aimed at airplanes flying in and out of LaGuardia. ... Police said Egan admitted it was his laser and he had used it that evening — but also said he had not aimed it at aircraft. ...On March 13 2015 during a court hearing Egan, his roommate and future brother-in-law revealed on the stand that he was the one who aimed the laser at aircraft. ...On May 5 2015 Balaguer pleaded guilty to aiming a laser at an airplane in return for prosecutors recommending a minimum sentence of two years in prison (he could have been sentenced up to five years). ...In his lawsuit against New York City, Egan said that police falsely claimed that Egan had admitted owning the laser pointer. Egan said his picture was widely spread in the media, his reputation had suffered, and his wedding and honeymoon were disrupted by the arrest.

Ireland: Rescue helicopter on hoax call targeted by lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-04-09T20:01:25-04:00

On April 4 2019, the Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter was sent on a call to rescue a woman who reportedly was in the River Shannon. During the search, one or more lasers were pointed at the cockpit. The call was determined to be a hoax and the helicopter crew "stood down." A spokesman for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport said they do not comment on laser incidents because they are concerned it can lead to copycat incidents. According to the Irish Examiner, "In 2014 the State Airports (Shannon Group) Act made it illegal to aim laser pens at aircraft. As of August 26 2016, there were 31 reports of lasers deliberately pointed at aircraft in Irish airspace. Since the legislation was introduced, there has been a significant decrease in the number of laser incidents reported by Irish pilots in Irish airspace to Irish Air Traffic Control."

US: Orlando man arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter three times

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-04-04T11:44:33-04:00

An Orlando man wearing only boxer shorts aimed a laser three times at an Orange County Sheriff's Office helicopter on April 3 2019. Ground officers were sent to the laser location, which was the home of Rodger Dean Smith, 47. ...Officers outside the home of Rodger Dean Smith, from the Sheriff's Office helicopter infrared camera ...As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited from having firearms. He was charged with 12 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, assault on a law enforcement officer, and pointing a laser at a driver or pilot. After bonding out of jail, Smith said he did not aim at the aircraft: "They were wrong. ... I did not point no laser, they do not know what they're talking about."

UK: Man with apparent weapon aims laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-03-27T16:54:41-04:00

A man who appeared to have a weapon aimed a laser beam at a Hampshire Constabulary police helicopter that was searching on the Isle of Wight for a missing person, on March 26 2019. At one point the helicopter landed in an attempt to find the laser-wielding man. After the man was located, his weapon was found to be an air rifle. It is not known if the laser was attached to the rifle, or was a separate device. He was spoken to by officers and "enquiries are ongoing." The missing person was later located on Yaverland Beach. From UK News In Pictures, Island Echo, and Isle of Wight County Press

Australia: Teen charged for pointing laser at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-25T09:39:38-05:00

An unnamed 19-year-old was arrested February 24 2019 for aiming a laser at a Cessna aircraft, then at a New South Wales Police helicopter sent to investigate. The flights occurred over the Sydney suburb of Eastlakes. He was charged with an act that threatened the safety of an aircraft or persons on board, and with possession or use of a prohibited weapon without a permit. From Mirage News and The Australian

US: San Antonio man arrested for aiming laser at helicopter; pilot sees spots

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-24T14:37:47-05:00

According to the factual basis filed in this case, on February 17, 2019, Shorey knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in flight. ... When the laser beam made contact with the helicopter, it hit the pilot in the eyes affecting his ability to see and read his gauges. At the time, the helicopter was flying in the path of the San Antonio International Airport, and Shorey’s actions endangered both civilian flights and the public on the ground. ... Shorey admitted to aiming the laser at the aircraft once as it approached his location in the 2100 block of Hays Street in San Antonio and twice as it circled above him. ...“When aimed at an aircraft, the powerful beam of light from a hand-held laser can travel more than a mile and illuminate a cockpit, disorienting and temporarily blinding pilots. Lasing an aircraft represents a significant public safety threat, which endangers pilots, aircrew, passengers, and individuals on the ground, should an aircraft crash or require an emergency landing,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. ...I was glad to hear that the Department of Justice does not tolerate this behavior and held Mr. Shorey accountable for his actions,” stated San Antonio Police Chief McManus.

US: Did not think laser could reach, says Washington state man arrested for aiming at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-22T19:39:09-05:00

A Spokane County (Washington) Sheriff's helicopter was illuminated twice by a laser on February 20 2019. Ground officers going to the laser location found Janson McElfish at the door, with a silver pen-type laser in his hand. McElfish, whose age was reported as 41 or 42, told deputies he had deliberately aimed at the helicopter, thinking the beam would not reach the aircraft. He was arrested and charged with first degree unlawful discharge of a laser, which is a felony. From KREM.com

UK: Six months in prison for aiming laser pen three times at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-19T14:10:00-05:00

Voyslav Dimitrov, 29, was sentenced to six months in prison on February 18 2019, for aiming a green laser pen at a police helicopter. On September 15 2018 officers were flying above Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, searching for men carrying knives, when their helicopter was illuminated with "dazzling" green light three times; each time lasting 3-5 seconds. The pilot took immediate action to avoid the light. Ground officers arrested Dimitrov under the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act. He could have been jailed for up to five years and have been given an unlimited fine. At trial on January 29 2019, Dimitrov pleaded guilty. His lawyer said Dimitrov thought he was aiming the laser at a drone which was an "extremely ridiculous" decision but that he was of good character. During sentencing on February 18 2019, the judge said the outcome could have been "fatal and catastrophic" and gave Dimitrov a six-month jail sentence as a deterrent.

US: Florida man ignores laser label, aims it at aircraft anyway

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-18T13:41:46-05:00

A 48-year-old man was charged with a third-degree felony under Florida law after aiming a red laser beam at a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office helicopter — despite the laser having a warning label stating "Never aim at aircraft." On February 17 2019, the helicopter was monitoring a fire at about 2:30 am when a red beam was shined at the aircraft three times. ...Deputies on the ground went to a house in unincorporated Clearwater and arrested Brian Harting, who admitted aiming a laser at the aircraft. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: As far as we are aware, this is the first case where a person was apprehended with a laser that had a label warning against aiming at aircraft. Such a warning is not required in the U.S., as the Food and Drug Administration only requires labels that warn against injury to eyes or skin, or a potential burn hazard. FDA does recommend that laser pointer manufacturers add a a warning against aiming at aircraft, but this is not legally required. Such a label has two advantages: 1) It can warn persons who read the label, and 2) it is easier to prosecute a person in court if they were specifically warned on the laser not to aim at aircraft, but they did so anyway.

US: Texas police pilot has pain in eyes for two days after laser is aimed at his helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-16T15:08:19-05:00

On November 1 2018, a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter pilot searching for a murder suspect was illuminated in the right eye by a green laser. This caused temporary blindness and a throbbing pain, which in turn caused the search to be aborted. ...Ground officers arrested 42-year-old Sherryol Elton Clack, Jr. with a green laser pointer. ...He said his friend had purchased the laser pointer and claimed the light could reach the moon. ... He said this was done out of "stupidity" and he did not intend to harm anyone. ...On February 15 2019 Clack took a plea deal for the offense of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft. ... If the judge approves the plea deal, Clack will be sentenced later to a term of up to five years in prison.

Australia: Charges for Winchelsea man who aimed laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-02-01T10:42:20-05:00

A Winchelsea (Victoria) man was arrested in the early morning hours of January 31 2019 for aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter several times as it flew over Geelong. The 32-year-old will be charged with possessing and using a prohibited weapon, reckless conduct endangering life, and interfering with crew of an aircraft. From Bay 93.9 News

Australia: Doctor in air ambulance dazzled by laser; pilot not affected

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-01-31T10:48:34-05:00

A doctor who was flying on an air ambulance plane was briefly dazzled by laser light about 10 minutes after takeoff. The January 30 2019 incident occurred to Dr. Robert Smithers, who was flying from Launceton to Devonport, in Tasmania. According to the doctor, the beam illuminated the side of the twin-propeller aircraft and did not shine onto the pilot. The aircraft continued without further incident on its medical transfer flight. From The Examiner

UK: Police looking for perpetrator(s) of six aircraft lasing incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-01-30T10:11:09-05:00

Thames Valley Police are asking for the public's help in finding a person or persons who aimed a high-powered green laser at civilian and military police aircraft flying over West Berkshire. In a January 29 2019 appeal, police said they are asking for witnesses of past laser events, as well as to notify police if they become aware of a current laser aimed at aircraft so officers can respond. ... • At 6.45pm on 30 November 2018 a pilot reported a green laser being shone approximately five miles west of Newbury. • At 5.45pm on 12 December 2018 a laser was shone at a military Apache helicopter traveling over Marsh Benham ... • At 5.45pm on 8 January 2019 a report was received that a laser was shone at aircraft flying over Newbury • At 5.50pm on 9 January 2019 at a civilian helicopter in the vicinity of Newbury Racecourse A police spokesperson said "We are keeping an open mind as to whether any of the incidents are linked."

US: Jury deadlocked on case of laser aimed at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2019-01-29T15:35:43-05:00

A San Diego Superior Court jury could not agree to convict Robert Louis Silva, Jr. on a felony charge of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft. On March 20 2018 a police helicopter was illuminated by a purple laser beam for about one minute. ...At trial, Silva told the jury he thought he was aiming at a drone piloted by a friend, and stopped when he realized he was instead aiming at a helicopter. Prosecutors pointed out the difference between the helicopter and a drone, saying "He knew what he was doing. ...She said "malicious intent" was required to convict, and that Silva did not have any intent to harm. She said "he profusely and repeatedly apologized" to police during his arrest, and that police did not go to look for the drone operator. ...The judge declared a mistrial and ordered Silva to return in late January to schedule dates for a possible re-trial.

UK: Police search interrupted by laser illumination; man arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-11-07T21:08:33-05:00

A National Police Air Service helicopter looking for a missing person in Hatfield on November 4 2018 had the search interrupted when a laser was aimed at the aircraft. Police described it as a "persistent laser attack." A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of recklessly endangering an aircraft, and the laser was recovered by Welwyn Hatfield South Police. The subject of the search was eventually found in woodlands. From the Welwyn Hatfield Times and BOB FM.

Solomon Islands: Increasing numbers of laser incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-11-06T14:14:59-05:00

The Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands is concerned about increased reports of green laser illuminations of pilots taking off or landing at Honiara International Airport on Guadalcanal Island. In a November 5 2018 statement, CAASI said there have been "a number of laser strikes," with the most recent on October 28 2018. The aviation authority did not give any absolute numbers of laser incidents, though the statement implied there were multiple illuminations on October 28. Persons caught aiming lasers at aircraft can be prosecuted under the Solomon Island Civil Aviation Act 2008, section 213. They can be imprisoned for up to 14 years and fined up to SI$300,000 (about USD $37,000). News of the CAASI warning comes almost exactly one year after an almost identical announcement from CAASI. From SIBConline.com

US: UPDATED - Columbus Ohio man indicted for aiming laser at police, Southwest flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-08-30T13:03:32-04:00

A Columbus, Ohio, man was indicted August 29 2018 for aiming a laser at police helicopters and a Southwest Airlines flight that was trying to land at John Glenn International Airport. ...(It is not clear if this happened before, during or after the illumination of the Southwest flight.) ...A "Laser 303" is a generic type of handheld laser, usually well over the 5 mW U.S. limit for laser pointers. ...Robinson was indicted on four counts of Interfering with the Operation of an Aircraft with a Laser. This is a second degree felony; he could receive up to 20 years in jail if convicted. ...UPDATED May 2 2019: Robinson was sentenced on May 1 2019 to county jail for 30 days, and given one year probation. In addition to the jail time and probation, Robinson is required to make a public service announcement telling viewers not to aim laser pointers at aircraft.

US & Middle East (including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan): U.S. military pilots illuminated by lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-08-17T08:33:05-04:00

These include: 1) simple curiosity to see whether the beam can reach the aircraft, 2) because a person is annoyed by helicopter or aircraft noise and 3) because an antisocial person wants to annoy airborne police or authorities. ...For example, it is far better for an aircraft to have laser light shone at them, than to be struck by a bullet or missile.) ...As explained here, while some officials have been quoted as using this term, “military grade” has no definition or generally-accepted meaning except “more powerful than laser pointers.” ...The article quotes Murphy as saying “there are no documented or proven cases of permanent case [sic] of eye injury” in over 55,000 lasing incidents reported by civilian pilots since 2004. ...The article quotes Murphy as saying that small, handheld lasers can cause flash blindness up to a mile, and vision-blocking glare at 5 miles away. ...The article quotes Murphy as saying that the most “damaging” laser pointers are green, because the eye sees the color green as the brightest. ...Regarding damage, if you have lasers with equal power and divergence, but emitting visible beams of different colors, all of the lasers have the same damage potential for eyes and skin.

New Zealand: Five recent incidents of lasers aimed at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-07-13T18:57:04-04:00

Two Air New Zealand aircraft were targets of laser light on July 10 2018, as they were flying to Auckland Airport. ...The second occurred 43 miles away (straight line; 52 miles by highway) at 8:30 pm, near Te Awamutu. ... So it would appear difficult for a car at one location to make it to the other within 50 minutes. ...In addition, there have been other recent incidents where lasers were aimed at planes in Morrinsville, Cambridge and Hamilton. ...Since March 1 2014, New Zealand has import controls on lasers over 1 milliwatt, and sales are restricted to “authorized recipients” who must apply to the Director-General of Health. However, it does not appear to be illegal in New Zealand to possess high-powered lasers obtained prior to March 1 2014 or which are home-built. ...Information on New Zealand laws from LaserPointerSafety.com’s “International (non-U.S.) laws” page.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-07-04T13:39:46-04:00

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: UPDATED - Florida woman arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter. Knew it was wrong; charges later dropped.

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-27T17:53:10-04:00

A Florida woman has been arrested for aiming a green laser beam multiple times at a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on June 21 2018. The pilot received “immediate” medical attention and did not appear to be injured. Jacqueline Robledo, 33, of Lake Worth, was arrested. She told officers she was aware that the laser light could cause blindness. She was charged with misuse of a laser lighting device and was held on $3,000 bond. From the Palm Beach Post, Tampa Bay Times and NBC-2.com UPDATED August 12 2018 - Charges against Jacqueline Robledo were dropped on August 9 2018.

US: Texas woman arrested for aiming laser at airplanes landing at airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-27T13:33:08-04:00

A 46-year-old woman was arrested June 22 2018 for aiming a laser pointer at several aircraft coming in for a landing at McAllen International Airport in Texas. Ruth Ann Hopp was ordered into temporary custody on June 25, pending a detention hearing. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. From the Brownsville Herald

US & East China Sea: US officials say lasers have targeted military pilots in the East China Sea

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-25T15:57:56-04:00

From September 2017 to mid-June 2018, about two dozen aircraft saw the lasers, said to be from “smaller, commercial grade” laser pointers similar to those sold for pointing and playing with pets. ...And its fishing fleets are operated as a militia, working in close concert with Beijing’s navy as it seeks to assert its arbitrary claim to total control of the South and East China Seas…. ...Disclosure of the East China Sea incidents came about seven weeks after the United States publicly accused China of deliberately aiming lasers between two and ten times at military aircraft in Djibouti, in East Africa. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: About 24 laser/aircraft incidents over nine months from boats or the shore of the East China Sea seems like a plausible number for random, unconnected civilian misuse of commonly available laser pointers. ... In the U.S. in 2017, there were roughly 5,600 reported incidents over nine months, so 24 incidents in the same period is a reasonable number for a less-populated area. Another indication that these may be from civilian misuse is that U.S. officials indicated the East China Sea incidents occurred from “smaller, commercial-grade” lasers which includes readily available low-powered consumer laser pointers. However, if Chinese fishing fleets are a “militia” as claimed by one news source, then there may be some coordination or central control for the laser attacks.

US: Two California teens arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-20T10:43:09-04:00

Two 15-year-olds were arrested after aiming a laser beam, at least twice over a half hour, at an Anaheim (Calif.) ...On June 19 2018 at about 12:30 am, a green laser beam was aimed at the cockpit from an apartment building balcony. The crew could identify the apartment complex the beam came from, but not a specific unit. At about 1 am, the helicopter cockpit was again illuminated by a laser beam. This time the crew could see from which unit the beam came. Ground officers then went to the apartment, where they handcuffed and arrested the 15-year-old males. The teens are led down the apartment staircase to a waiting police car.

US: California man aims laser at motorists and sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-09T13:13:19-04:00

A man aimed a green laser beam at motorists on Interstate 15 in Victorville, California, as well as aiming multiple times at a San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department helicopter. The California Highway Patrol received a number of calls from motorists who saw or were illuminated by the laser light. James Gilbert Trujillo, 33, was arrested on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft in the June 6 incident. He will appear in court June 11. From the Victorville Daily Press and San Bernardino Sun. This news item was also filed under the Non-aviation incident news section.

Northern Ireland: Two years probation for second laser offense

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-09T12:50:19-04:00

Twenty-year-old Karl Barkley was sentenced June 8 2018 to two years probation for aiming a laser pen at a Police Service of Northern Ireland helicopter hovering above a crowd at a football (soccer) match. Barkley had also previously been convicted in 2015 of the same crime, recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft, in addition to a criminal record of nine offenses. The second offense occurred October 5 2017 during a World Cup qualifier game between Northern Ireland and Germany. The helicopter was monitoring the crowd at Windsor Park football ground when it was illuminated two times by laser light. ...At trial, it was noted that Barkley had a low IQ and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He was smoking marijuana in his bedroom at the time of the arrest. ...In 2015, Barkley’s laser conviction was dealt with by a youth diversion conference because of his age at the time.

US: Kansas City woman arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-06-01T16:56:50-04:00

An unnamed Kansas City woman was arrested for a May 5 2018 incident where a laser beam was aimed at a Kansas City police helicopter. ...He put on night vision goggles to prevent laser light from directly entering his eyes. He was able to direct officers on the ground to the woman, who was inside a car with a “long black cylinder-shaped laser pointer in her hand.” ...According to KSHB, “Kansas City Police said the pilot flying the KCPD helicopter last month [May 2018] had a temporary deficiency in his vision and is currently recovering. ...The FBI said there were 110 cases of pilots reporting laser illuminations in Kansas City during 2017. In January 2017, Jordan Clarence Rogers was sentenced to three years in federal prison for an October 2013 incident where he aimed a laser at a Kansas City police helicopter multiple times, resulting in several hours of eye strain for the pilot. From June 1 2018 reports in the Kansas City Star, KSHB.com and Fox4KC.com

UK: Salford man aims laser at police helicopter for 10 minutes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-26T13:56:23-04:00

A Salford (Greater Manchester) man aimed a laser pen at a police helicopter for up to 10 minutes, according to testimony in court on May 24 2018. The pilot was dazzled and “had to take action to avoid losing his vision.” The pilot directed police on the ground to the home of Darren Kenyon, 48. He told them he had been “playing” with the laser by pointing it out his bathroom window. The laser had been purchased by one of his six children while on holiday. ...In Manchester magistrates court, Kenyon pleaded guilty to reckless behavior likely to endanger an aircraft. He will be sentenced at crown court.

New Zealand: Multiple laser illuminations of rescue helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-26T13:29:39-04:00

A Northland rescue helicopter was illuminated multiple times on May 20 2018, first while going to Auckland Hospital and again on their return flight. The light came from a rural house identified by one of the pilots. Officers visited the house but found no laser and made no arrest. The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority said there has been eight reports of lasers illuminating Northland Emergency Services Trust helicopters in the timespan 2016-2018. The Possession of High-Power Laser Pointers Amendment Act 2014 makes it illegal for anyone to have a high-power laser pointer in a public place. Offenders face a maximum three months in prison or a $2000 fine. Under the Crimes Act, people found guilty of "endangering transport" can face up to 14 years' imprisonment.

UK: Six laser pen incidents in two evenings at Birmingham Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-23T18:29:31-04:00

West Midlands police are investigating six incidents where laser pens illuminated planes landing at Birmingham Airport on May 20 and 21, 2018, between 9 pm and midnight. In all of 2016, there were 73 laser incidents at Birmingham Airport, so six incidents over two evenings is especially alarming to the local police and the British Airline Pilots’ Association. Birmingham Airport police tweeted “Laser strikes directed at aircraft are extremely dangerous! They can distract or blind a pilot. It is also an offence under Article 137 Air Navigation Order 2009, endangering an aircraft.” If the perpetrators can be found, they will face “a hefty jail sentence.” From BBC News and Birmingham Mail

UK: Police helicopter repeatedly illuminated by laser while searching for missing woman

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-08T16:54:45-04:00

A National Police Air Service helicopter was repeatedly illuminated by a green laser, while searching on May 7 2018 for a 73-year-old woman who was reported missing. The NPAS crew contacted police in Preston, Lancashire who located and “detained the offender.” It is not known how much the persistent laser light disrupted the search for the woman. She was later found by a member of the public after a social media alert was posted. From the Lancashire Post

US: Student lands safely despite windscreen blocked by oil

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-04T20:49:13-04:00

A 20-year-old student pilot landed safely at Daytona Beach International Airport on April 26 2018, despite his forward windscreen vision being blocked. A substance appearing to be oil coated the Cessna 172’s windscreen. The unnamed student said “I literally can’t see a thing” to flight controllers who safely talked him down. The incident lasted about 7 1/2 minutes. Air traffic controller Tim Martin, who helped the student, said “That’s probably like a worst-case scenario for that pilot to land that plane with zero visibility.” A spokesperson at at the student’s school, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, said “the student-pilot did exactly what he had been trained to do.” ...Although this incident does not involve a laser, it does involve a pilot with no forward vision undertaking a landing, and thus may be relevant to pilots who are temporarily blinded by a dazzling laser beam exposure.

China: Pentagon made "groundless accusations" about Djibouti lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-04T10:56:47-04:00

The Chinese Defense Ministry, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry on May 4 2018 denied that it was aiming lasers at U.S. aircraft based in Djibouti. According to China Daily, “The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the ministry has dismissed such ungrounded accusations from some US officials via official channels. It added that China always firmly honors international laws and regulations in Djibouti, and is dedicated to safeguarding regional security and peace.” Separately, Reuters reported that “Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the government had conducted ‘serious checks’ and told the U.S. side the accusations were groundless. ‘You can remind the relevant U.S. person to keep in mind the truthfulness of what they say, and to not swiftly speculate or make accusations,’ she told a daily briefing in Beijing.” From China Daily and Reuters

US & Djibouti: UPDATED - Pentagon says Chinese have aimed lasers at US planes in Djibouti, causing two injuries

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-05-03T19:05:39-04:00

In a May 3 2018 press conference, a Pentagon spokesperson said that China has aimed lasers at American aircraft at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti between two and 10 times. ...On April 14 2018, the US military posted this notice to airmen (NOTAM) on the Federal Aviation Administration website, warning about “unauthorized laser activity” in Djibouti. ...The NOTAM coordinates (N1135.70 E04303.14) are about 2,400 feet from China’s military base in Djibouti, opened August 1 2017 near Camp Lemonnier. An article in the quasi-official South China Morning Post referred to “Chinese military observers [who] said the lasers might have been used to scare off birds near the airfield or disrupt possible spy drones, rather than targeting foreign pilots. ...According to The Drive, “As of 2015, Chinese forces had access to at least four different man-portable systems, the BBQ-905, PY131A, PY132A, and the WJG-2002, all of which look like oversized assault rifles or shoulder-fired grenade launchers.” From The Drive, Janes 360, C4ISRNET, Defense News, South China Morning Post, FAA PilotWeb, and a YouTube video of the May 3 2018 Pentagon press briefing by Dana White. ...UPDATED May 7 2019: An annual report to Congress on Chinese military and security developments does not mention the April 2018 Djibouti laser incidents.

US: Omaha man wanted on warrant aims laser at police helicopter; gets arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-04-25T11:24:38-04:00

A 40-year-old man who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest aimed a green laser beam at an Omaha police helicopter on April 22 2018 — leading to his arrest. The unnamed man was a passenger in a car when he aimed at the helicopter. The aircrew radioed to a ground unit that stopped the car. The man told the officer that a misdemeanor warrant had been issued for his arrest. He was charged on the warrant and for violating his probation. Apparently, he was not charged for the laser offense. From the Omaha World-Herald

American Samoa: Two laser beams aimed at passenger airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-04-17T13:36:01-04:00

Two laser beams were aimed —apparently simultaneously — at a Hawaiian Airline flight while landing at Pago Pago airport in American Samoa. The incident happened during the week of April 8-14. There have been two previous incidents, also involving Hawaiian Airline planes. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it is illegal to aim laser beams at aircraft or their flight path. Penalties are up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The first incident in American Samoa when an aircraft reported a laser beam happened in March 2011. From Radio New Zealand

US: Eye damage to Coast Guard crewmember

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-03-25T12:03:59-04:00

A Coast Guard helicopter crew member suffered eye damage when he was stuck by green laser lights while training in Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles, in Washington state. He and two other members of the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew landed safely after being hit by a laser several times at about 9 p.m. ...After consultation with the flight surgeon, two of the three aircrew members were medically grounded until they received further examination by an optometrist. One of the crew members was found to have suffered eye damage and was grounded for seven days. ... The other crew member was grounded for two hours but has since returned to duty. Because members of the crew were medically grounded, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Sector Columbia River in Warrenton, Ore., became responsible for covering the Port Angeles station’s area of responsibility until Port Angeles aircrews were medically cleared. From the Peninsula Daily News and a U.S. Coast Guard press release

US: Man shines laser near Sea-Tac Airport and at police helicopter: "Didn't think it was a big deal"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-03-16T13:59:50-04:00

A 29-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser at aircraft landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and at a King’s County sheriff’s helicopter. On March 13 2018, the Sea-Tac control tower notified the helicopter, Guardian 1, that a laser was being aimed at inbound aircraft. ... The helicopter was able to locate a man, who pointed a green laser beam at the aircraft. Officers on the ground arrested the man, who was not named in press reports. According to the arresting officers, the man said he was showing his friend a new laser, and the man was “accidentally” aiming near the airport. The man also said he deliberately aimed the laser at the helicopter but “didn’t think it was a big deal.” The laser caused a brief interruption of SeaTac Airport flight duties and prevented pilots from looking outside the aircraft.

US: Pennsylvania man gets 1.5 to 3 years in prison for aiming laser at MedEvac helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-03-16T13:43:45-04:00

A 23-year-old Pottsville, Pennsylvania man was sentenced March 15 2018 to 1-1/2 to 3 years in state prison for aiming a laser at a medical helicopter. On August 15, 2017, the Lehigh Valley Health Network MedEvac 7 was preparing to land when it was illuminated by a green laser beam. There was no injury to the crew. Timothy M. Ebert was arrested and charged with risking a catastrophe, possessing an instrument of crime, and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. Timothy M. Ebert Ebert pleaded guilty to the laser-related charges, plus charges in five other cases including driving under the influence, fleeing or eluding police, driving under suspension, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving the wrong way, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon, possession of a small amount of marijuana, two counts each of delivery of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. In addition to serving prison time, Ebert must pay costs, $1300 in fines, $500 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, perform 10 hours of community service and submit a DNA sample to authorities.

US: California man arrested at car "sideshow" for aiming laser at CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2018-01-30T06:29:36-05:00

A 23-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser at a California Highway Patrol helicopter during a January 28 2018 “sideshow” gathering of car enthusiasts watching tricks and stunts. The sideshow took place at about 2 a.m. in Oakland, with about 200 cars present. Fireworks were shot into the air and there were reports of gunfire. View from the helicopter’s infrared camera, showing cars doing doughnuts, and spectators A green laser beam was aimed at a CHP helicopter several times. The crew was able to direct ground officers to a white sedan, where the 23-year-old was arrested and faces “several state and federal felony charges.” ...See also this story about lasers being aimed into the crowd at a December 2017 Oakland sideshow.

India: Private rooftop parties blamed for Kolkata laser illuminations of pilots

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-28T12:39:14-05:00

Private rooftop parties are being blamed for pilot-blinding laser incidents in Kolkata. ...The Airports Authority of India asked the to replace lasers with LEDs, and most complied. The new problem seems to be private parties, which “are more difficult to track and act against.” The chairman of the Airline Operator’s Committee said "We don't want to spoil the fun for anyone. The only message that needs to go out is that one shouldn't endanger the lives of others for a bit of fun. I am sure once there is awareness about threat to flights, there will be compliance.” From a December 27 2017 article in the Times of India.

US: Teen arrested for aiming laser at Oklahoma City police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-28T12:35:20-05:00

On December 26 2017, the Oklahoma City Police Department helicopter was illuminated by a green laser beam, three times. The crew directed ground officers to a home where 19-year-old Iban Balderas was arrested. He was charged with violating Oklahoma’s Laser Safety Act. From KFOR.com

US: Multiple laser strikes over Oakland

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-21T14:18:23-05:00

Seven incidents of lasers being pointed at aircraft landing at Oakland International Airport were reported within a few days in mid-December 2017. The laser strikes appeared to be targeting small private planes. Authorities are searching for the source. Separately in Oakland, a green laser was aimed at a California Highway Patrol helicopter flying over a car “sideshow” on December 17 2017 (story here). Video from the CHP helicopter shows a suspect repeatedly and deliberately aiming the laser From CBS SF Bay Area and NBC Bay Area

UK: Multiple aircraft hit by laser light while landing at Gatwick

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-20T13:36:15-05:00

Five aircraft approaching London’s Gatwick Airport on December 18 2017 reported that green laser light was aimed at them. Four of the incidents occurred between 7:00 and 8:00 pm; the fifth occurred around midnight. The illuminations occurred as they flew over Ashdown Forest, open heathland 30 miles south of London. Police said “We believe the person or persons responsible were located in the Hartfield area.” They asked for anyone with information to call them. From Crawley News 24

US: Teen arrested in Florida for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-15T13:40:08-05:00

A 15-year-old boy from Bradenton Florida was arrested for aiming a green laser beam multiple times at a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on December 12 2017. The helicopter crew directed ground officers to a home in Bradenton, where the teen was arrested. According to a sheriff’s office spokesperson, the boy was not able to explain why he pointed the laser at the helicopter. The unnamed youth was taken to the Juvenile Booking Facility. From the Bradenton Herald

US: California man indicted for hitting two helicopters with laser beam

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-15T13:25:26-05:00

A 31-year-old man from Turlock, California, was indicted December 14 2017 on two federal counts of aiming a laser beam at aircraft. On October 22 2017, Roger Shane John struck a Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helicopter five to six times with a green laser, causing visual interference and disrupting an air support response to a domestic violence call. At around the same time, John also aimed a laser 3-4 times at CalStar 12, an emergency medical helicopter. Conviction would result in jail time of up to five years, and a fine of up to $250,000. John had numerous prior run-ins with law enforcement, including convictions for domestic violence, identity theft, possession of a controlled substance for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm and making threats with intent to terrorize. Roger Shane John From the Modesto Bee and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California

US: NY man who antagonized police, denies aiming laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-08T14:35:06-05:00

A Suffolk County (NY) man who previously admitted to damaging red light cameras, was accused by police of aiming a laser beam at a police helicopter. The man, dubbed “the Red Light Robin Hood” by the press, denied the accusation. Stephen Ruth said he was not home at the time, that no one aimed a laser beam from his property, and that police are targeting him. “I find it very suspicious the commissioner would accuse me when the same day I attempted to form an anti-corruption taskforce in the county.” Police said they “have no doubt the laser came from that home” in the December 6 2017 incident. ...Ruth had previously mis-aimed red light cameras, and cut wiring in about 20-30 systems, to protest what he called an unsafe money grab by Suffolk County. ...From CBS New York, laser story and earlier story on red light damage.

US: UPDATED - Helicopter pilot lands; detains laser pointer suspect

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-07T18:57:43-05:00

Officers in a helicopter flying for the Pasco (Florida) County Sheriff’s Office were illuminated by laser light on December 5 2017. The pilot landed the aircraft in an empty parking lot, walked to the suspect’s home, and detained him. Pilot Stephen Bowman was assisting with a situation involving a barricaded suspect, when he was hit by the laser at around 10:50 pm. ...After landing the helicopter and going to the suspect’s home, there he detained Ryan Fluke, 27. ...From the Bradenton Herald and ABC News, whose story includes police video of what the laser looked like from the air. UPDATED MARCH 28 2019: Fluke pleaded guilty November 20 2018 to aiming a laser at an aircraft and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, in March 2019. From ABC Action News, the Global Dispatch and a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Canada: Pilot has blurred vision after green laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-07T14:50:19-05:00

The first officer of an Air Canada flight on approach to Toronto Pearson International Airport was illuminated by green laser light. The first officer suffered “blurred vision and discomfort lasting for 10-15 minutes” according to a Transport Canada report. The Airbus A319 had 113 passengers onboard when the incident occurred in November 2017. ...The report said that several other aircraft also reported laser light at the same point in their approach, for two nights in a row. The light was reported to be coming from persons in a park. From mid-November to December 6 2017, there were 23 laser illuminations of commercial aircraft in the Toronto area. Nationwide, there were 381 laser strikes as of the first week of December 2017, down from the approximately 600 incidents reported in 2015 and 2016.

US: Some reports of Christmas laser lights causing interference

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-03T17:22:09-05:00

There have been 13 incidents reported to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration that involve, or possibly involve, laser Christmas lights, from November 20 through December 2 2017. The first reported Christmas-related incident of 2017 came on November 20. As of this writing, December 2 is the last date for which incident information is available. ...With 13 potential Christmas-related incidents, that is a rate of one Christmas incident per day. In the previous 323 days of 2017, from January 1 through November 19, there were 5,734 incidents or 17.8 per day. So Christmas lights appear to be adding one extra incident per day (a 5.6% increase), early in the holiday season. ...See our page on Christmas holiday laser projectors for more information, plus these pages about holiday lighting reports here and here.

US: UPDATED - California man aims laser at Border Patrol helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-12-02T15:38:43-05:00

A man who claimed he was aiming a laser at a drone, was charged on November 30 2017 with aiming a laser pointer into a Border Patrol helicopter flying near Chula Vista, California. On August 19 2017, the helicopter was flying over power lines when the cockpit lit up briefly with laser light. ... The pilot then aimed the aircraft’s searchlight down at the source of the laser beam, a person in a Jeep Patriot. ...Chula Vista police stopped the SUV. 27-year-old Michael Angelo Ramirez, a passenger, told them he shined the laser at what he thought was a drone, and the drone aimed a light back. ...However, the driver of the Jeep told police that it was clear the aircraft was a helicopter and not a drone. ...After his arraignment on November 30 2017 he was taken back into custody. ...UPDATED December 28 2017 - Ramirez pleaded guilty to one charge of aiming at an aircraft, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

US: Two years probation, $2000 fine for Arizona man who lased sheriff department's plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-30T00:07:58-05:00

An Arizona man was sentenced November 28 2017 to two years probation, and was fined $2,000 for aiming a laser pointer at a Pima County Sheriff’s Department aircraft on April 10 2017. ...He could have received up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. By a plea agreement, the maximum would have been reduced to up to six months in prison. ...The lawyer said of Demery, “He is sorry that he pointed the laser at the airplanes going over his house, but he didn’t think it would cause harm. He knows now that it could have been a problem, and that it is a federal offense. ...At the November sentencing hearing, Demery apologized to the judge, who said “I’d hate to think some yahoo like you is pointing a laser at my plane.” ...Demery is also prohibited from possessing a laser pointer; apparently during the term of his probationary period.

US: Florida man arrested for aiming at sheriff's office helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-29T00:34:23-05:00

A 35-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser pointer at a Hernando County (Fla.) ...The aircraft was searching for a missing child at the time. ... It affected their ability to see and to give updated locations of the child, whom they had spotted shortly before the laser strikes. ...He told the arresting officers that he was sorry and he was unaware aiming a laser at an aircraft was illegal. ...Note from LaserPointerSafety.com: Both stories quoted the sheriff’s office as saying that viewing a laser from infrared equipment such as FLIR cameras can severely damage the human eye.” ... The laser may cause the FLIR viewing screen to “bloom” to full white or full green, which is very bright and of course can interfere with vision. ... But the FLIR sensor stops the laser beam itself — no laser light can enter the eye, and thus no eye damage could occur.

UK: 20 week jail sentence for Leicester man who aimed a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-25T01:01:08-05:00

Neil Stephen Wright, 35, was sentenced to 20 weeks in jail for aiming a laser at a police helicopter multiple times on October 10 2017. Eighteen of the weeks were for the laser incident, with an additional two weeks for breaching an earlier suspended sentence relating to a battery charge. ...Wright was found at his home on Croyland Green, Thurnby Lodge, Leicester. He admitted to aiming the laser at the aircraft while “larking around.” ...Wright’s defender said Wright’s actions were “thoughtless stupidity,” that he “didn’t realize his behavior was a criminal offence,” and that he was “genuinely remorseful.” The judge told Wright “The seriousness of this offence is blindingly obvious. You could have caused the death of those people performing a public duty and, as it was over a residential area, there could have been further fatalities."

Micronesia: First FSM prosecution for aiming a laser at an aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-22T01:27:22-05:00

On or around November 21 2017, Isak Rawit became the first person to be prosecuted in the Federated States of Micronesia for aiming a laser at an aircraft. At about 9:40 pm on October 29 2017, and at 2:30 am the next morning, the pilots of a United Airlines plane reported green laser light being aimed at them. The laser was traced to Rawit, who had been fishing in waters off Ruo in Chuuk State. Police said the laser was similar to “military grade” laser pointers; it was six inches long with a flashlight mode and red and green lasers. Rawit admitted that each time he saw the plane overhead, he aimed his laser pointer at the aircraft. In FSM, it is not illegal to own that type of laser pointer, but it is illegal to point it at an aircraft. Rawit could be jailed for up to five years, and could be fined up to $10,000.

India: 24 laser incidents in eight months at Mumbai airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-19T02:21:17-05:00

From January until September 2017, there were 24 reports of lasers being aimed at aircraft flying to or from Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. ...In addition to the laser hazards, pilots also reported three drones and two sky lanterns during the first nine months of 2017. Pilots report cases of laser attacks and lanterns to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), which conveys the information to the airport operator, who reports the incident to the local police. ...A police official on condition of anonymity said, “In such complaints, we first find out the reason the light was flashed. If the laser light was coming from a wedding ceremony or any other function, then as a preventive action, we alert concerned people and sensitise them about its dangerous effects on aircraft. However, nothing can be done legally as there is no law under which we can produce anyone in court.” ...About a month later, Kolkata reported similar problems with rooftop parties using lasers under the flight path of aircraft.

US: Oregon pilot lased eight times in two years; goes door-to-door to find perpetrators

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-19T02:10:56-05:00

A pilot who flies around Grants Pass and Merlin (Oregon) has reported eight laser incidents in two years. According to a local airport manager, Salvador Corona “flies at night more than most pilots, and is very upset about the targeting. He knocked on doors and talked to people after he suspected someone was using a laser in a neighborhood near the airport in Merlin. He said he’s going to buy a pair of protective glasses to wear while flying…” From the Grants Pass Daily Courier via the Register-Guard

US: Man aims laser from car at police helicopter, evades arrest, crashes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-15T03:19:24-05:00

A passenger in the car said the man, Michael Vincent Alvarez, did it because he “thought it would be funny to point a laser at the helicopter.” Alvarez then led officers on a high-speed chase which ended when the car crashed into a median; he suffered minor injuries. At about 12:45 am on October 22 2017, the helicopter was providing support to ground units responding to a domestic violence disturbance when it was continuously illuminated by a green laser beam. ...The beam came from the driver’s side of a car traveling north on Highway 99 in Fresno. ...Inside the car’s driver side door pocket police found a laser marked “Laser 303” with a green multi-dot beam (perhaps a diffraction grating making a star-field-like pattern) and a danger label. After an FBI investigation, Alvarez was charged with violating federal law by knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or its flight path. ...UPDATED May 7 2018 — Michael Vincent Alvarez was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the October 22 2017 incident.

Australia: Sydney teen arrested for aiming a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-11T12:56:18-05:00

An unnamed 17-year-old boy was arrested November 9 2017 in western Sydney, for aiming a laser pen at a New South Wales Police helicopter. The aircraft was on patrol when the incident occurred. The teen was found hiding in a backyard. He will be subject to the Young Offenders Act. From the Daily Telegraph and Mirage News

Solomon Islands: After laser strikes on aircraft, warning to offenders

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-08T13:12:33-05:00

The Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands has issued a strong warning to any offender convicted of committing the use of high powered laser pointers against any operating aircraft in the country. In a statement the Acting Director of Civil Aviation Brian Halisanau said according to the Solomon Islands Civil Aviation Act 2008 Section 213, offender convicted of committing the use of high powered laser pointers against any operating aircraft would be liable to pay a penalty of SI$300,000 (about USD $37,000) or serve a 14-year term imprisonment. Halisanau said the warning came as pilots recently reported cases of high powered laser green strike incidents on aircraft arriving and departing Honiara International Airport at night. He said some of these incidents took place immediately after take-off, and probably before the pilots had fully transitioned onto instrument flight or when the aircraft was established on approach to the runway. Halisanau added that this was dangerous, as direct eye exposure to one of these laser beams could result in momentary “flash blindness'” for the pilots at a critical stage of the aircraft approach or departure. From SIBC

US: UPDATED - Utah man indicted for aiming laser twice at medical helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-11-03T13:33:56-04:00

A 25-year-old man from Coalville, Utah, was indicted on November 2 2017 for aiming a laser two times at an AirMed helicopter. The first laser strike occurred about 3 a.m. on August 28 2017 as the pilot was flying from Wyoming to Salt Lake City. ...If convicted, Kane could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. ...UPDATED July 12 2018: The perpetrator, identified as “Michael Ray Kane” a 26-year-old carpenter from Coalville (near Salt Lake City), was sentenced July 12 2018 to three years of probation. The sentence came “moments after the pilot described how night-vision goggles intensified the beam, but he did not sustain any permanent damage that would threaten his livelihood.” ...U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball may have decided on probation after hearing that Kane had come to realize that what he did was dangerous, had cooperated with investigators, had a child, and had stopped using marijuana. Kimball told Kane “I'm satisfied that you're finally growing up, but I'm telling you, do not get in any more trouble.”

US: Crew member has partial vision loss from laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-10-26T09:27:19-04:00

A crew member on a medical rescue flight said he lost 30 percent of the vision in his right eye, after being illuminated by a green laser on September 15 2017 while on approach to Centennial Airport, located 17 miles southeast of Denver, Colorado. Respiratory therapist Justin Misuraca was sitting in the co-pilot’s seat of a Flight for Life plane, helping the pilot watch for other air traffic, when a bright green light filled his vision. He closed his eyes and looked away; when he opened his eyes he was blinded for a few seconds. ...Misuraca said the specialist told him “…there was a burn all the way to the back of my eye, and I’m missing 30 percent of my vision in an upside-down V.” ...This screenshot from the KUSA 9news segment “Next” shows Justin Misuraca with a triangular blur overlay that the program says represents the visual effect of the laser injury. ...Misuraca reported this in an October 25 2017 interview with a reporter, so the vision loss was still present over a month after the laser illumination. ...According to Flight for Life, there have been “at least a dozen times in the last couple of years” that the organization’s aircraft have been targeted by a laser beam.

US: Coast Guard helicopter on practice flight is lased; lands immediately to get medical checkup

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-10-13T18:51:45-04:00

MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. — The Coast Guard is asking the public for tips or information regarding recent laser attacks aimed against rescue helicopter crews. The latest attack occurred Tuesday evening near the Arcata-Eureka airport as an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay was conducting a practice instrument approach. The helicopter was southeast of the airport when a green laser coming from a wooded area about three miles east of McKinleyville, was shined directly at the aircraft. ...“Laser attacks against aircraft are a crime because of the danger they present to aviators and the public," said Capt. Greg Fuller, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay. ...It is a federal crime, as well as a violation of California state law to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...Lasers, including common laser pointers, can cause glare, flash blindness, temporary loss of night vision and more permanent damage such as blind spots, cataracts and partial or total loss of visual acuity. ...Information about some California aviation laser incidents, including arrests and convictions of laser aircraft attackers, can be seen here: http://laserpointersafety.com/news/news/aviation-incidents_files/tag-california.php

US: California man aims purple laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-10-13T15:23:47-04:00

A San Bernardino (Calif.) County sheriff’s helicopter was illuminated several times by purple laser light on October 11 2017. The crew was able to direct ground officers to a residence. There they identified Christopher Wayne Flora, 35, as the suspect and arrested him. He was charged with suspicion of discharging a laser at an operations control center aircraft, which is a felony. Bail was set at $25,000. From the San Bernardino Sun

Northern Ireland: Teen arrested or aiming laser at police helicopter in Belfast

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-10-07T15:05:59-04:00

A teenager was arrested on October 5 2017 for aiming a laser at a Police Service of Northern Ireland helicopter. The aircraft was monitoring crowds attending a football match in Belfast. The unnamed 19-year-old was charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft and shining a light to dazzle or distract a pilot. From the Belfast Telegraph

US: 54-year-old woman arrested for multiple laser strikes on CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-09-30T14:38:24-04:00

A California Highway Patrol helicopter was illuminated multiple times on September 20 2017, allegedly by an unnamed 54-year-old woman. ...The crew was forced to stop the search in order to identify the source of the laser. Laser light from a direct hit overwhelms the camera lens for one frame of the CHP helicopter’s surveillance A second later, the suspect can be seen (left) walking with what appears to be a child (right) in the middle of the road. The CHP crew directed ground officers to a San Leandro house where the woman was arrested and a laser pointer was confiscated. CHP said the woman had other lasers in her home as well. ...From the Mercury News and KRON (link to video is here)

UK: Pilots at Blackpool Airport want action taken about laser pen incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-09-27T18:45:21-04:00

A series of laser pointer incidents have led pilots from Blackpool Airport to call for action. One pilot said “We want this to stop before we have to dig one of our aircraft out of the beach…. Incidents like this are happening more and more frequently, three different occasions recently, and that’s just our pilots – there are many more flying clubs and school at Blackpool Airport.” An incident on September 22 2017 happened to a pilot flying prior to a fireworks competition. ... He said “The whole cockpit lit up, it was a real shock.” ...Three frames from the Sept. 22 incident show the laser, barely visible in the first photo, lighting up the cockpit window in the second photo and nearly obscuring all ground lights in the third photo. ...There do not appear to be any suspects or arrests in the recent incidents.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-09-27T16:12:46-04:00

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

Cayman: UPDATED - Trial begins for man who pointed laser at police helicopter in 2015

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-09-18T12:00:49-04:00

Trial of a Cayman man, charged with multiple counts of aiming a red laser beam at a police helicopter, began September 13 2017. ...A detective in the helicopter testified that he saw a bright red light which was pointed at the aircraft numerous times. The detective said he was worried for the pilot’s vision, and also that the laser could be attached to a weapon. ...They asked if he had a laser; Silburn said yes and showed them a device that had both an LED light and a red laser beam. ...Silburn, now 21, is being tried on a charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior within the sight or hearing of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress. Under cross-examination on the first day of the trial, the detective admitted he could not say definitely that Silburn was the person with the laser, only that he identified a man with an Afro hairstyle and short pants. ...(August 31 2017 story about trial being set, Sept. 13 2017 story about initial court proceedings, Sept. 14 2017 story about trial being delayed for a few days).

Spain: British father and son face €600,000 fine for aiming laser at multiple aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-08-11T11:22:12-04:00

A 41-year-old British father and his 15-year-old son, who were vacationing in Spain, could be fined up to €600,000 (USD $700,000) for aiming a laser pointer at passenger aircraft approaching Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport. The incident happened around 11 pm on August 8 2017. An off-duty police officer happened to see the pair on a hotel balcony in Torremolinos, a coastal resort town about 13 miles south of the airport. Photo from Spanish police showing laser light coming from a balcony ...Pilots of at least three commercial aircraft had complained about being dazzled with green light as they prepared to land. While the British father and son were not arrested, Spanish National Police called it a “very serious violation” and said the fine could be from €30,000 to €600,000 (USD $35,000 to $600,000). From Sky News, the Daily Mail and ITV News

US: North Carolina teen arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-08-10T15:16:34-04:00

Around 1 am on August 9 2017, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department helicopter was targeted by a green laser pointer. The crew spotted a person standing outside a vehicle, holding a laser. They notified ground officers who located the vehicle, found a laser inside, and arrested 18-year-old Abrahan Saloman Nass Romero, aka Abrahan Nasser. The officers also found marijuana in the vehicle. ...Romero was charged with pointing a laser at an aircraft — a felony — and with possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce. Records show Romero had previously been arrested for marijuana possession, for speeding, and for driving without a license. Since January 2017 there have been 19 incidents reported to the Federal Aviation Administration of lasers being pointed at aircraft in the Charlotte area.

US: 12-year-old Portland child said to aim laser at police helicopter numerous times

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-25T18:45:04-04:00

On July 24 2017, a Portland Police Bureau airplane searching for a stolen car was illuminated several times with a laser. Officers on the ground found a 12-year-old child playing with a laser pointer. The officers told the child and the child’s family that the laser misuse was hazardous. Officers confiscated the laser and forwarded the police report to the Multnomah County Juvenile Department. Fox 12 reported “the suspect was taken to the Multnomah County juvenile detention center.” ...This is a close-up of the label: From the AP via the Washington Times, Fox 12 and KATU

Canada: UPDATED - Two laser incidents in two days in P.E.I.; child said to have caused one

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-19T22:04:45-04:00

The next night, a green laser beam was pointed for 5-10 seconds at a commercial aircraft as it was preparing to land in Charlottetown, which is about 60 km east of Fernwood. ...That being said, the child was in the custodial guardianship of two adults and RCMP are asking that items of this nature not be used for entertainment and not be provided to young children as they are unaware of the danger that they can inflict." ...McCrorie said there have been no accidents in Canada due to such incidents but there have been some cases of permanent eye damage to pilots. ...Note: LaserPointerSafety reached out to Transport Canada for clarification about McCrorie’s claim of cases of permanent eye damage to pilots, since we are unaware of any such documented cases with civil pilots either in Canada or worldwide. ...While Transport Canada has received reports of pilots experiencing eye damage as a result of a laser strike, due to doctor-patient confidentiality, the department is not in a position to provide details about specific cases. ...During the interview he stated Transport Canada is aware of incidents that caused temporary damage to pilots’ eyes, but did not refer to a specific case of permanent blinding. Transport Canada is not aware of any cases where a pilot suffered permanent eye damage as the result of a laser strike."

Northern Ireland: Man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-19T17:58:12-04:00

An unnamed man in his 30s was arrested for aiming a laser pen at a Police Service of Northern Ireland in mid-July 2017. The helicopter was helping the Coastguard trying to locate a lost person, when the laser illumination occurred. The man was arrested for endangering an aircraft and was released on bail. From BelfastLive

US: Georgia man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-19T17:43:12-04:00

A 47-year-old Georgia man was arrested for aiming a laser at a Gwinnett County police helicopter. On July 5 2017, the helicopter pilots saw green laser light in the cockpit. They were able to trace it to a location in Johns Creek where ground officers arrested Marius Lizunas. He told them he was using a laser rangefinder to “check the range” to the aircraft. Lizunas was charged with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Marius Lizunas From U.S. News and World Report and WSB-TV

US: FBI looking for source of two July 4 laser illuminations in Cleveland

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-13T16:14:27-04:00

Stephen D. Anthony, special agent in charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), for the Northern District of Ohio, and Calvin Williams, chief of Cleveland Division of Police, are seeking information regarding two recent laser strikes, one against a Cleveland Division of Police helicopter and one against a MetroHealth Life helicopter. Both of these laser strikes occurred on July 4, 2017, at approximately 10:15 p.m. from the 3000 block of West 31st Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The main hazard for aviation is that pilots can be distracted or temporarily flash-blinded by the light from a laser beam. ... Individuals often do not realize that traveling over hundreds of feet a tiny, two-centimeter laser beam spreads to become approximately six feet of light that can block a pilot’s vision. ...Under 18 USC 39 (A), whoever knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned. Under 49 USC Section 46301 (a) (5) (A), the FAA may seek a maximum civil penalty of $11,000 per violation for aiming a laser at an aircraft in violation of C.F.R. ...Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D. Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI at (216) 522-1400 or vicki.anderson@ic.fbi.gov or Sargent Jennifer Ciaccia at the Cleveland Division of Police at (216) 623-5033.

Canada: Edmonton woman charged with aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-12T12:27:09-04:00

Sarah Schenker, 28, was said to have repeatedly aimed a laser pointer at an Edmonton Police Service air crew, early on the morning of July 11 2017. She was arrested and charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft in flight. Schenker faces a maximum jail sentence of five years, and a fine up to $100,000. A police spokesperson said their helicopters experience about six laser pointer incidents each year. He said “It’s been fairly quiet lately, which is really good.” From the Edmonton Journal, and RedDeer News Now via the Canadian Press

US: Probation for Tulsa man who lased police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-10T15:37:54-04:00

A man who aimed a green laser beam at a Tusla, Oklahoma police helicopter was sentenced on July 10 2017 to one year of probation, despite sentencing guidelines recommending an 18-24 month prison sentence. On December 29 2016, Jay Scott Howell aimed the laser 11 times at the helicopter. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7 2017 on one count of aiming the laser. The maximum penalty is up to five years in federal prison and/or up to a $250,000 fine. ...While U.S. sentencing guidelines recommended an 18-24 month prison term, the judge sentenced Howell to one year of probation. ... The prosecuting U.S. attorney did not object to the sentence, telling the judge “He’s the perfect candidate. ...If probation is revoked, Howell could serve up to the maximum sentence of five years.

Germany: UPDATED - Demonstrations at G20 summit target police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-07-07T11:48:37-04:00

On July 6 2017, two police helicopter pilots were blinded by lasers aimed from the ground, during violent “Welcome to Hell” demonstrations protesting the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Media reports did not indicate how badly the pilots’ vision was affected. Seventy-four other police officers were injured; one was hospitalized with an eye injury after a firework exploded in his face. From the Mirror and Reuters UPDATED JULY 9 2017 - After intensive investigations, German police arrested a 27-year-old Hamburg man “on suspicion of attempted murder”. The unnamed man blinded the two pilots “so badly while they were up in the air that they had to stop working because they couldn’t see.” From FoxBusiness

US: Oklahoma City teenager arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-06-28T13:02:55-04:00

A 19-year-old Oklahoma City teen was arrested June 19 2017 for aiming a green laser beam multiple times at an Oklahoma City Police Department helicopter. The aircraft was on patrol when it was illuminated around 10:30 pm. The beam was traced to a house. ...The teen’s father said Darren was unaware that it was illegal to aim a laser at aircraft. ...He was charged on both state and federal counts. On the federal charge, he could face up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. From News9, Fox25 and KOCO News 5

US and Iran: UPDATED - Iranian naval ship shines laser on US helicopter says U.S.; Iran denies

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-06-16T12:12:06-04:00

An Iranian naval vessel aimed a “targeting laser” at a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E helicopter on June 13 2017. ...A group of three U.S. ships — a destroyer, an amphibious assault ship, and a dry cargo ship — were transiting international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a U.S. military statement. The Iranian naval vessel, said by one source to be a missile ship, came within 800 yards of the assault ship and scanned two of the U.S. ships with a spotlight. The helicopter was flying alongside the deployment when the Iranian targeting laser was aimed at it, setting off the flares. ...A spokesperson for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet said “Illuminating helicopters with lasers at night is dangerous as it creates a navigational hazard that can impair vision and can be disorienting to pilots using night vision goggles.” ...The Tasnim News Agency said “A top commander of Iran’s Navy denied reports that the country’s naval forces had pointed a laser at an airborne US Marine Corps helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz back in June. ...The report had no additional details, such as what could have set off the helicopter’s flares as claimed by the initial U.S. report.

Germany: Eight months for 49-year-old man who aimed at aircraft and police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-05-31T22:04:56-04:00

A 49-year-old German man was sentenced May 31 2017 to eight months in prison for aiming a laser at a police helicopter. In August 2016, several aircraft flying in or out of Berlin Schönefeld Airport reported glare from a laser beam A police helicopter was sent to investigate, and was also hit by laser light. The unnamed perpetrator later said in court he had not been aiming at anything specific in the night sky, and that he did not see the helicopter. He was sentenced in Zossen (Brandenburg) District Court; Zossen is about 20 miles south of Berlin. From Spiegel Online in original German and in Google-translated English. Thanks to Alex Hennig for bringing this to our attention.

US: Community service and fine for Calif. man who aimed laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-05-31T03:34:54-04:00

A 28-year-old man from Fontana, California was sentenced on May 30 2017 for aiming a laser at an Ontario, California police helicopter. The incident happened February 21 2015. Asarel Felix Lombera used a $20 green laser pointer to track a police helicopter for about 15 seconds. The light entered the cockpit and momentarily dazed a crew member. In February 2017 Lombera pleaded guilty. In his plea agreement, he said he was aware that what he did was dangerous and distracting. At sentencing in May, Lombera received a probationary sentence of community service and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

Scotland: UPDATED - Man aims laser at police helicopter, thinking it is spying on him

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-05-18T13:45:17-04:00

On May 17 2017, a 42-year-old man pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer multiple times at a police helicopter. The helicopter was searching for a missing woman on September 5 2016. Gary Cameron believed the police were spying on him when he repeatedly shone the Class 2 (less than one milliwatt) at the helicopter — even as ground officers were interviewing him, prior to arrest. According to his defense lawyer, Cameron had psychological problems for which he was seeking treatment. ...UPDATED December 22 2017 - Cameron was sentenced September 7 2017 to hours of unpaid work and to supervision. As of December 21 2017, Cameron had not yet been provided with information about the unpaid work order, or the start date. A court review hearing was set for March 23 2018.

US: Three years in 2017 for Kansas City man who aimed laser at police helicopter in 2013

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-01-20T15:00:50-05:00

Jordan Clarence Rogers, 26, was sentenced on January 17 2017 to three years in federal prison without parole. On October 28 2013, Rogers aimed a laser three times at a Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department helicopter. ...At sentencing, federal prosecutors said that Rogers had an extensive history of criminal activity including drug and property crimes, which should be a factor in a longer 4-year sentence. ...While Rogers knew it was illegal to aim a laser at an aircraft, “he had no knowledge of the highly scientific manner in which a laser endangers an airplane.” In a sentencing memorandum, he attorney wrote “The average person would believe that a laser beam hitting an aircraft would cause a small spot to appear on the aircraft or in the cockpit, much like shining a laser beam at a wall. It is not common knowledge that the laser actually increases with size as it extends, and that the glass of the cockpit can expand the light further, causing it to light up the entire cockpit.” From KY3.com, the Kansas City Star, and an article by Cyrus Farivar of Ars Technica with additional links to legal materials.

US: Maryland man hits police helicopter eight times; crew goes to hospital

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2017-01-17T13:22:35-05:00

Connor Grant Brown, 30, was arrested for aiming a green laser pointer about eight times at a Maryland State Police helicopter on January 16 2017. ...[The laser itself is legal, but it is illegal to sell lasers over 5 milliwatts as a “pointer” or for pointing purposes. And of course it is illegal to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft in the U.S.] The trooper also said “he experienced spots on his vision after the laser hit the helicopter, as if he had just looked at the sun. ...A statement of probable cause described Brown’s explanation to troopers regarding why he aimed the laser at the helicopter. ...He apologized and said he did not mean to cause any harm from his “horrible, horrible mistake… From start to finish, what I did was wrong.” From CBS Baltimore, Carroll County Times initial story, Carroll County Times follow-up story, and Carroll County Times editorial “Use common sense with laser pointers.”

New Zealand: Man disappears before sentencing on charge of aiming a laser at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-12-01T16:48:42-05:00

On April 5 2016, Tane Hemopo, 39, was arrested for repeatedly aiming a “high powered” laser pointer at two passenger planes landing at Christchurch Airport. In one case, a Virgin Airlines aircraft with 121 passengers was illuminated for about 20 seconds while at 20,000 feet altitude, then was illuminated an additional three times while on final landing approach. ...Hemopo admitted aiming at the aircraft, but not at the cockpit. ...In August 2016 Hemopo pleaded guilty to charges of “causing unnecessary danger.” This has a fine of up to NZD $10,000 and one year in prison. The Crown dropped charges of “reckless disregard for the safety of others,” which has a maximum penalty of 14 years. ...On December 1 2016, Hemopo was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.

US: UPDATED - Convicted laser offender apologizes, saying he lost everything for three seconds of aiming laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-24T11:02:50-04:00

A Bakersfield, California man wrote a public letter of apology, stating that he “paid dearly” for aiming a laser pointer on September 11 2014 that caused eye pain for a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter pilot. According to an FBI press release, Barry Lee Bowser Jr., then 51 years old, aimed “the beam of a laser at Air-1, a Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter that was providing support to ground units responding to a man armed with a gun. At trial, the evidence established that the mission was diverted when the pilot of Air-1 was struck by direct hits from a powerful green laser that illuminated the cockpit and tracked the aircraft near the approach path to Meadows Field Airport. ... O’Neill found that Bowser had obstructed justice before trial by concealing the laser and providing false statements to law enforcement and at trial through his false testimony about the offense.” ...I was convicted of one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and sentenced to 24 months in a federal penitentiary, then 36 more months of supervised release for a total of 60 months — five years — plus ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $10,000. ...UPDATED December 20 2016 — An extensive profile of Barry Bowser’s laser pointer incident, trial, and his life before and after his arrest, was published by Ars Technica. ...As stated in Bowser’s September 23 2016 letter, the conviction and jail time was ruinous: “For shining a laser at a helicopter for three seconds, I lost my entire life.”

US: Wash state man aims laser at helicopter then at arresting officers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-20T13:31:41-04:00

A 32-year-old man aimed a “multicolored LED laser light” at a Spokane (Wash.) County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on September 17 2016. The crew notified deputies on the ground of the laser’s location. ...Neeser pointed the laser device at the deputies. They saw it was not connected to a gun so they did not take defensive action. The deputies arrested Neeser, who told them he did not know it was illegal and he “thought it would be funny” to aim at the helicopter because they were aiming a light at him. Neeser faces two felony counts of unlawful discharge of a laser.

US: After lie detector test, another Texas man pleads guilty to aiming laser at a helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-14T11:47:53-04:00

On September 13 2016, Christopher B. Evans pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at a flying aircraft. Evans, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, worked as a security guard in a medical clinic. Workers at the clinic told FBI agents that Evans had laser pointers of different colors and sometimes aimed them at employees. On October 27 2015, Evans stood outside the clinic and lit up a WOAI-TV news helicopter three times with a green laser: ...After questioning with a polygraph, Evans said he did hit the helicopter and in fact had previously aimed lasers at other aircraft as well. ...He could receive up to five years in federal prison and be fined up to $250,000. ...Juan Peralez, 57, of La Joya Texas pleaded guilty on September 2 to aiming a laser pointer at a Border Patrol Helicopter.

Scotland: Man arrested for aiming laser at Police Scotland helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-08T13:20:34-04:00

A 41-year-old man was arrested for a September 5 2016 incident where a Police Scotland helicopter was illuminated by laser light. The man was on Trafalgar Street in Clydebank, about 5 miles northwest of Glasgow, when the laser pen attack occurred. A police spokesperson said “It is an offense we take extremely seriously and people need to realize the dangers of this reckless behavior. Our message is clear, use them and you will be arrested.” From GlasgowLive

Canada: Pilot goes to doctor; subsequent flight canceled after laser illuminates WestJet

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-06T23:38:06-04:00

Green laser light aimed at a WestJet aircraft on August 22 2016 caused a pilot to seek medical attention after the flight landed in Fort McMurray, Alberta. This, in turn, caused a subsequent flight to be canceled until a new pilot could be brought in. The severity of the medical complaint, and the pilot’s diagnosis and treatment, were not known. ...The laser was said to have come from “a wooded area in the middle of nowhere”, when the plane was at about 3,500 feet altitude. According to CBC, there were 40 laser incidents reported in Alberta in May 2016, and 500 incidents in all of Canada in 2015. (According to the Ottawa Citizen, there were 502 laser illuminations in the Transport Canada CADORS database in 2014, and 663 incidents in 2015.) Royal Canadian Mounted Police from the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo were investigating the incident.

US: Texas man pleads guilty to aiming laser at Border Patrol helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-09-04T00:19:29-04:00

Juan Peralez, 57, of La Joya Texas pleaded guilty on September 2 2016 to aiming a laser pointer at a Border Patrol Helicopter. The incident occurred on June 20 2016, when the helicopter pilot had to take evasive action to avoid the green beam. Another crew member guided ground officers to the laser perpetrator, where Peralez was arrested. Juan Peralez He will be sentenced November 17 to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. From KLTV and the Gwinnett Daily Post

Canada: Teen points laser sight on pellet gun at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-08-30T16:36:29-04:00

A teenager was arrested after aiming the green beam from a pellet gun’s laser sight at an Air2 police helicopter in Vaughn, Canada, a town just north of Toronto, on August 16 2016. An infrared camera onboard the aircraft helped the crew locate the source of the laser beam. Ground officers found the pellet gun, which 19-year-old Nicholas Caranci had thrown to the ground as he ran away. The IR camera helped the helicopter crew direct officers to the teen’s location. In an attempt to escape arrest, Nicholas Carianci ran from the court at right and hopped over a fence, after throwing his pellet gun with a laser sight into weeds (green circle). Thanks to the helicopter IR surveillance camera, police were able to pick up both the teen and the pellet gun. Caranci was arrested and charged with mischief endangering life, unlawfully engaging in behavior that endangers an aircraft, and projecting a bright light source into navigable airspace.

US: Two brothers in South Texas charged with aiming laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-08-30T16:14:36-04:00

Two brothers from McAllen, Texas were arrested for aiming a laser at an Air and Marine Operations helicopter. The incident happened August 25 2016 in Mission, Texas. The pilot’s vision was temporarily impaired as the laser light lit up the cockpit. The pilot directed ground officers to a home, where Aaron Caceres, 27, and his brother Francisco Caceres, 24, confessed to the laser misuse. ...Aaron (27) and Francisco (24) Caceres They were charged with illumination of aircraft by intense light, a Class A misdemeanor. From ValleyCentral.com and Chron.com

US: 15 month prison sentence for California man who aimed laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-08-24T22:13:19-04:00

Mario Deleon Lopez, a 35-year-old Santa Ana (California) man who intentionally aimed a laser pointer at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, was sentenced August 23 2016 to 15 months in federal prison. On November 14, 2015, the OCSD helicopter was responding to a traffic accident, looking for any victims who may have been thrown from an overturned vehicle. ...After an investigation conducted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the Santa Ana Police Department and the FBI, Lopez was indicted on federal charges which culminated in his August 2016 prison sentence. “This defendant knew that pointing the laser at the helicopter could cause the pilot blindness and endanger those operating the aircraft, but committed the crime anyway,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. ...Guilford, said the offense was a “distraction” to the people in the air and that “people could die.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Takla of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section. From a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California

US: Lasers aimed at aircraft surveying North Dakota pipeline protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-08-22T10:46:33-04:00

Laser beams were twice aimed at aircraft monitoring the site of a protest over construction of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline. ...The light went into the pilot’s eye, leaving his vision “dangerously obstructed”, according to Cecily Fong, public information officer of the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services. ...The pilot looked away in time to avoid the laser light, according to the Morton County Sheriff’s department. News reports are unclear, but it appears the same aircraft and same pilot were involved in both incidents. The flights were being done by the North Dakota Highway Patrol to monitor approximately 3,000 persons — most Native American tribal members — who wanted to block construction of the pipeline until a court hearing could take place over its impact to sacred sites and culturally important landscapes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in to try and find the laser perpetrator(s). Tara Houska, speaking on behalf of Honor the Earth, a non-profit organization supporting indigenous peoples’ environmental justice, said “Why launch a federal investigation into a laser pointer instead of asking what right the U.S. government has to fly surveillance planes over sovereign nations in the first place?”

UK: Concern over teens with laser pen camping on building under flight path

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-07-29T14:42:14-04:00

Concerns have been raised about teenagers with a “long range” laser pen on the roof of the 16-story Albion Towers housing unit in Southampton. On July 19 2016, neighborhood security wardens broke up a group of about five teens sleeping on the roof. They had apparently done this a number of times before, according to residents of the top-floor flats. The building is located under a major flightpath, about 3.5 miles from Southampton Airport. ...According to the Southern Daily Echo, shocked tenants and community leaders have condemned the trespassing youths as ‘putting lives at risk’…” Housing authorities sent letters to some residents stating that the teens’ actions were “extremely dangerous” and the long range laser pointer could have caused a “major incident” if aimed at aircraft. ...The news report did not indicate that any lasing activity, or any aiming of the laser towards aircraft, had actually occurred.

US: 37-year-old lases police aircraft, arrested; 7-year-old hits same aircraft, let go

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-07-26T12:57:29-04:00

On July 23 2016, a Portland police aircraft was illuminated by laser light. The beam was traced to David Martinez, 37, who was arrested on charges of recklessly endangering another person, and unlawful directing light from a laser pointer. ...While the first incident was being investigated, another laser illuminated the aircraft. ... The child’s mother was given the laser pointer, along with a lecture about the dangers of aiming at aircraft. ...On July 25 Martinez pleaded not guilty to the two charges. He has prior court records which include felony unauthorized use of a vehicle and failure to appear. He also has been charged with heroin delivery and possession of heroin and methamphetamine; that case is pending.

UK: Eight and six month sentences for aiming laser pen at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-07-24T13:02:53-04:00

Two U.K. men were sentenced to jail on July 22 2016, for aiming the green beam of a laser pen onto a police helicopter. During the March 9 2016 incident, intermittent flashes from the laser caused the pilot to take evasive action. The search for a missing person was called off, and instead the crew tracked the laser beam to two men in a park in the Newfoundpool area of Leicester. When ground officers apprehended the men, each man said the other had been using the laser. Martin Gary Jayes, 46, had 71 criminal convictions on his record and was drunk when arrested for the laser offense. He was sentenced to eight months in jail for recklessly or negligently endangering the safety of an aircraft and those traveling within it. ...Plaskiewicz’s lawyer said “He knows he’s acted in a very stupid way.

US: Woman arrested by Houston police for aiming laser pointer at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-07-13T01:37:09-04:00

A 23-year-old Corpus Christi, Texas woman was arrested July 10 2016 for aiming a laser pointer at a helicopter flying in a low-income area of Houston. The helicopter was lased twice while in the air, and a third time when it landed. Officers traced the laser to Emily Ann Hunter. She was charged with illumination of an aircraft, a misdemeanor. Bond was set at $1,000. Emily Ann Hunter From Click2Houston

US: Florida man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-07-11T16:56:16-04:00

A 26-year-old man was arrested on July 8 2016, for repeatedly aiming green laser light at a Marion County (Florida) sheriff’s helicopter. Officers in the helicopter were searching for a kidnapping suspect when they were illuminated 15-20 times as they flew over Weirsdale, Florida, about an hour northwest of Orlando. The pilot was directly hit in the eyes “at least five times” according to a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. The airborne officers used night-vision equipment to find Phillip Willman. He was arrested and told officers he only aimed the laser at the helicopter once. Willman was charged with six counts of pointing laser light at a driver or pilot. ...The Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said that during 2016, there have been “over five” incidents where lasers were aimed at helicopters, two of which ended with an arrest.

UK: Man sentenced to 20 weeks, for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-02-19T15:49:52-05:00

A Hull man was given a 20 week prison sentence on February 18 2016, for aiming a £9 (USD $13) laser pen at a Humberside Police helicopter on January 6 2016. Philip Houghton, 25, had previously pleaded guilty to the offense. Philip Houghton From BBC News

UK: Cessna pilot makes emergency landing after being hit by laser after takeoff

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-02-19T15:20:35-05:00

An instructor for the Cambridge Aero Club, flying a single-engine Cessna 172, made an emergency landing after being flashblinded by a laser beam after takeoff. The February 16 2016 incident occurred around 6:30 pm local time near St Neots, about 20 miles from the club’s base at Cambridge Airport. The instructor was not injured. There was no information available whether there was anyone else in the aircraft at the time. The incident is being classified as “endangering an aircraft," and police are investigating. From the Daily Mail

Mexico: Alitalia flight with Pope sees laser beam before landing at Mexico City

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-02-17T10:57:47-05:00

The crew of an Alitalia flight carrying the Pope from Havana to Mexico reported that they saw a laser light aimed into the air, as the plane was at an altitude of 8,000 feet, preparing to land in Mexico City. ...“The cockpit crew of Alitalia flight AZ4000 on Friday 12 February noticed a laser light from the ground, as did other aircraft flying towards Mexico City, as they prepared to land at the Mexican capital’s airport. The aircraft Captain, Massimiliano Marselli, promptly reported to the control tower what the cockpit crew had witnessed, which is standard procedure with these type of matters, and similarly it is usual practice for the control tower to alert the competent, local authorities. None of our cockpit crew or any passengers on board were injured by the beam and the aircraft landed safely. The aircraft, an Airbus A330, was enroute from Havana in Cuba to Mexico.” According to the Sun, air traffic control transmissions recorded a number of pilots reporting laser strikes. From the New York Daily News; Alitalia statement tweeted by Jon Williams, foreign editor of ABC News.

UK: UPDATED - Flight returns to airport after pilot gets laser in eyes, reports medical emergency

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-02-14T22:48:21-05:00

On a recording of air traffic control communications, a person was heard to say “we have a medical issue with one of the pilots after a major incident … the other pilot is able to perform his duties.” ...UPDATED February 15 2016: The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) called for “the Government to classify lasers as offensive weapons which would give the police more power to arrest people for possessing them if they had no good reason to have them.” ...After around 40,000 laser incidents reported to U.S. FAA and U.K. CAA from 2004 through 2015*, as of February 14 2016 this is the first occurrence we are aware of where a commercial aircraft has turned around and not completed its flight, due to a laser incident from the ground. ... • Some police and rescue operations have had their missions disrupted by a laser; this has been common for the U.S. Coast Guard which has operational rules requiring a mission to abort if there is laser illumination. • In 2013, there was an incident where an aircraft made an emergency diversion 224 miles short of its destination, because a passenger onboard was using a homemade laser to burn several small holes in fabric near his seat. ...As of February 14 2016, there is no confirmed, documented case of permanent eye injury to a civilian pilot (commercial, general aviation, or police/rescue) due to exposure in the cockpit to laser light from the ground. ...An expert close to the case, who directly examined the journal paper and the evidence, told LaserPointerSafety.com in February that he does not believe the retinal injury was laser-induced, and that it was “not confirmed” as a laser injury “despite what the journal paper says.”

US: Aviation student arrested for aiming laser at airplane, control tower

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2016-01-05T08:24:52-05:00

A 23-year-old who said he was attending flight school to become a pilot was arrested Jan 3 2016 for aiming a green laser beam at an American Airlines flight landing at Daytona Beach International Airport, and at the control tower of the airport. ...Sanchez had a laser on him, and told an officer he had been pointing the laser in different directions. He said he had aimed it in the general direction of an aircraft, and at the control tower several times. Sanchez said he was studying to be a pilot at the ATP Flight School, located at the airport; ATP had not confirmed whether Sanchez was a student. ...One pilot told police “the green laser did affect him for about one or two seconds because it was pointed at his eyes.” ...Note: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, also located in Daytona Beach, lists a “Gerardo Sanchez” as a student of theirs who was hired April 2014 as an instructor pilot by the Saudi Flight Academy. The photo shows an older person who does not resemble the 23-year-old Gerardo Sanchez who claimed to be a student pilot.

Canada: Winnipeg teen aims at police helicopter, gets one year conditional discharge

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-12-21T23:59:43-05:00

Akshay Sharma was given a one year conditional discharge sentence, plus 30 hours of community service, on December 21 2015 for aiming a laser pointer at a Winnipeg city police helicopter in June 2015. The aircrew was temporarily distracted and disoriented. Sharma’s lawyer said the teen “was goofing around to see how high [the laser] could project into the sky”, and did not intend to create a hazard. From the Winnipeg Sun

US: "Star Shower" home laser projector interferes with aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-12-12T12:30:00-05:00

A laser projector sold for home use to replace or augment Christmas lights has caused interference with at least six aircraft from November 18 to December 6 2015. The “Star Shower” laser projector, sold for $40 in stores including Wal-Mart, Target and CVS during the 2015 Christmas season. ...On December 3 2015, a commercial airplane at 13,000 feet altitude reported being illuminated by what was believed to be a “laser holiday light display.” ... A pilot who was not involved told CBSDFW that likely the homeowner was asked to re-aim or remove the display, to prevent beams from going in the air. According to the news station, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said was the first case they had heard of, involving holiday laser lights. ...On November 18 2015, a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft sent a “distress call” to Sacramento police after being illuminated with laser light. ...On December 6 2015, three aircraft reported laser lights which were traced to a holiday display at at home three miles from Kansas City International airport.

UK: (Not a laser) Drone slices toddler's eye in half

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-30T14:36:05-05:00

Oscar Webb, a toddler around 17 months old, had his eye lacerated by the propeller from a neighbor’s drone. ...Oscar was in his family’s front yard when after about 60 seconds of flight, Evans’ drone hit a tree, went out of control, and sliced through the toddler’s eye. The BBC quoted his mother, Amy Roberts, as saying “What I saw was what I thought was the bottom half of his eye, and it's the worst thing I've ever seen." ...Although this severe accident did not involve lasers, there are some comparisons and contrasts with consumer laser pointer eye injuries. In almost all cases, a consumer laser injury does not cause complete loss of vision. ... On the other hand, drone injuries are rare, with only a few cases of persons being injured by falling drones. This is the only drone eye injury we are aware of, while there are a number of laser pointer eye injuries, some of which are in lists here and here.

US: Coast Guard training mission in Georgia aborted after seeing laser beams

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-23T23:24:25-05:00

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter aborted a training mission after noticing a green laser beam tracking the aircraft, on November 16 2015. There were no reported injuries, and it is unclear whether the beam of the laser entered the cockpit. The incident took place in Richmond Hill, Georgia. The Coast Guard urged anyone with information to come forward. From WTVM

UK: UPDATED - "Military-strength" laser injures retina of pilot landing at Heathrow

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-23T21:41:43-05:00

In spring 2015, a pilot in a British Airways plane landing at Heathrow Airport was illuminated by what was assumed to be a “military-strength” laser, according to the general secretary of the British Air Line Pilot’s Association (BALPA). The man was treated at a Sheffield hospital for a burned retina in one eye, and has not worked since the incident, said BALPA’s Jim McAuslan in a November 23 2015 statement. McAuslan said the identity of the person, who was acting as co-pilot at the time of the incident and thus was not operating the aircraft, could not be revealed at present due to it being reviewed by an “employment tribunal.” ...In February 2016 a very knowledgeable expert, who directly reviewed all evidence in the case, told LaserPointerSafety.com he “doesn’t believe it was laser-induced” and that the injury being caused by a laser was “not confirmed, despite what the journal paper says.” ...This case is suspect because first and foremost, the metrology and exposure geometry would suggest insufficient energy could have entered the eye to produce irreversible damage and second the fundus anomaly is in the wrong location, the wrong shape and resulted in an extremely transient reported loss of VA [visual acuity] with full recovery.” ...If the pilot’s injury was caused by the laser exposure, this would have been the first documented case of a permanent laser eye injury to a civilian pilot. ...(There was a 1997 case of a military observer who had a claimed eye injury which was later found by laser injury experts to be not caused by his laser exposure.)

US: 3 news copters plus police chopper illuminated by laser light in NYC

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-12T18:35:18-05:00

Two news helicopters were illuminated with green laser light around 5:30 pm local time in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, as they hovered to cover a story about a stolen Greyhound bus. ...It shows aircraft converging on Atlantic Terminal Mall, an urban shopping center across Atlantic Avenue from the Barclays Center sports arena near the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill areas of Brooklyn. WNBC Chopper 4 pilot Dennis Protsko helped police locate the source of the laser, a group of people in the rear of the “Energy Fuel” health food restaurant on Fulton Street. ...The New York Daily News quoted court documents as saying that Silva told police he never pointed a light at helicopters before, and he “thought it would be funny.” ...The confusion may be due to the fact that WABC’s NewsCopter 7 was involved in an earlier New Jersey lasing incident. (It may also be that the WABC aircraft flew from New Jersey to the Brooklyn scene and thus was involved in both incidents.) About thirty minutes before the Brooklyn incident, a laser was pointed at a WABC news helicopter flying over Elizabeth, New Jersey, which is about 12 miles straight-line from the Atlantic Terminal Mall and is near Newark Liberty Airport.

US: UPDATED - Texas man pleads guilty to aiming a laser at a DPS helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-04T12:18:23-05:00

A 37-year-old Dallas man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on November 3 2015 to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...Orlando Jose Chapa was in his driveway when he aimed a laser beam at a Department of Public Safety helicopter. He was arrested on September 23 2015, after being indicted by a federal grand jury. He remains free on bond; a sentencing date has not been set. He could receive up to five years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000. ...From ABC13 and the Dallas Morning News UPDATED February 18 2016 — Chapa was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison.

US: One year in jail plus 3 years probation for Calif. teen who aimed laser at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-11-03T13:36:49-05:00

Enrique Felix Gomez pleaded no contest September 14 2015 to aiming a high-powered green laser at an aircraft, and then at Los Angeles County fire and police helicopters on February 14 2015. Gomez, of Gardenia Calif., was sentenced November 2 2015 to one year in jail and three years probation. From MyNewsLA.com

US: Florida man aims "laser comb" at helicopter, is arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-09-03T11:06:51-04:00

According to Lauren Lettelier, public information officer for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, this is the type of device that was aimed at the helicopter: a Bosley LaserComb Elite model HM4 V7. ...This is likely 5 mW per laser emitter, since each beam would focus on a different part of the eye, and thus safety classification would probably be based on the worst case for a single beam. ...A Marion County Sheriff’s Office evidence technician described the light output from Geohagan’s device as being separate dots or spots at a distance of about 4-6 inches, merging into a single “extremely bright” spot of light at roughly a foot away. Leonard Stillman, a representative for Lexington International, which makes laser combs under the Bosley and HairMax names, told LaserPointerSafety.com “It’s not like a laser pointer, it will start to diffuse as it goes out. ...He also noted “We have not calculated or measured the NOHD [Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance] as the FDA has determined that Class 3R lasers are safe for direct sale to the general public.” ...It is not known if at that distance the beams are superimposed into a 4-foot-wide tight spot of light, or if the beam aiming varies enough to make a larger, dimmer, softer zone of light. ...And note that this is for the simplified 45 mW single laser; the NOHD for the actual Bosley LaserComb Elite would be even less due to the arrangement of the nine laser diodes.

US: Two arrested for aiming laser at LA sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-08-13T03:51:47-04:00

Two persons were arrested for aiming a laser at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s helicopter at about 11:30 pm on August 11 2015. The helicopter crew, who were on a training mission, were able to trace the beam to a home in Agoura Hills, California. Arrested were 31-year-old Christopher Cooper and 33-year-old Tanjelina Meredith. They were charged with suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft, a felony. From CBS Los Angeles

UK: Man given 12-month conditional discharge for aiming laser pen at Humberside police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-08-04T11:38:02-04:00

A 26-year-old man from Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire was sentenced August 3 2015 on charges of shining a light at an aircraft so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. The incident occurred March 27 2015, and involved a Humberside Police helicopter. Scott Christopher Brown was given was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £85 by North Lincolnshire magistrates. (For non-U.K. readers, “a conditional discharge is a sentence vitiating the finding of guilt in which the offender receives no punishment provided that, in a period set by the court [not more than three years], no further offence is committed.” In 2008, about 6% of sentences were conditional discharges.) From the Scunthorpe Telegraph and the Wikipedia page on Discharge (sentence)

UK: London teen arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-27T13:30:34-04:00

A south London teenager was arrested on July 27 2015 for aiming a laser pen at a Metropolitan Police helicopter. The aircraft was searching for a burglar when it was repeatedly hit. The crew identified the source, and the boy was arrested about an hour later. He was charged with endangering an aircraft. From the London Evening Standard

US: Five more flights struck by lasers over NY and NJ; coordination by social media?

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-24T18:30:23-04:00

Five aircraft in the New York and New Jersey area reported being illuminated by lasers, from 9:25 pm local time July 21 2015 through 12:10 am July 22, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. ...Two of the aircraft were struck near Warwick, New York, about 40 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport, two others were within 20 miles of Newark Liberty, and the fifth plane was about 20 miles southwest of LaGuardia Airport. In addition, two airplanes approaching Boston Logan International Airport were illuminated by laser beams at 10:39 pm and 11:28 pm on July 22. ... It’s incredible scary losing your night vision when you are coming in to land. ...The Boston Herald quoted a former pilot and crash investigator, Dale Leppard as saying “Last weekend [July 18-19] there were 38 incidents from San Diego to New York and several of them in New Jersey, including eight or nine within a few hours, which seems to me like it is a coordinated effort because they’re so spread out. I think it is a very serious issue and I’m wondering if it is being coordinated on social media. There’s just too many of them happening all at once over too wide of an area.

US: UPDATED - Texas man arrested for aiming at eight airliners and a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-22T17:43:38-04:00

A 23-year-old man from rural Alvarado, Texas was arrested July 22 2015 on suspicion of aiming a laser at eight commercial aircraft as well as a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter and a Fort Worth police helicopter. Beginning at about 10 pm local time on July 21, until about 1 am on July 22, eight aircraft flying near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport reported seeing green laser light. ... The aircraft were at altitudes between 7,000 and 10,000 feet when they reported seeing the laser light. ...A DPS helicopter sent to investigate was also targeted by the laser beam, which led deputies to a home in Alvarado, which is about 35 miles south-southwest of DFW. ...Once deputies said there was video from the helicopter, Austin Lawrence Siferd admitted pointing a laser at the aircraft, “not realizing it was actually strong enough to reach the aircraft,” said a law enforcement spokesperson. The local NBC station quoted Siferd’s fiancée, Brenda Arnold, as saying she purchased the laser for him: “I think that he probably did think that they were just looking at the stars. ...She also said there had been 59 reported laser incidents in North Texas from January 1 to July 22, 2015.

US: UPDATED - Bakersfield man indicted for lasing police helicopter and possessing seven bombs

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-21T17:23:22-04:00

A Bakersfield (Calif.) man was indicted July 16 2015 by a federal grand jury for aiming a green laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter. ... He faces up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Pablo Cesar Sahagun, 26, was also charged with possessing seven “cricket bombs,” made by filling an empty CO2 cartridge with gunpowder or flash powder, and attaching a fuse. If convicted, Sahagun would face an additional ten years and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. From the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of California press release dated July 21 2015 UPDATED - April 18 2016: Sahagun was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

US: UPDATED - Multiple aircraft hit by laser light around Newark Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-16T08:47:07-04:00

In a statement, the FAA said there were a total of 11 aircraft in and around New Jersey that reported laser illuminations. [Note: Due to the distances involved, it is not possible that all 11 were struck by the same laser beam.] ... • Delta Air Lines 504, Shuttle America 3489 and JetBlue 828 were at 3,000 feet four miles south of the Outerbridge Crossing [this is about 15 miles from Newark Airport] ... • American Airlines 348 was at 9,000 feet over New Jersey heading to LaGuardia Airport ... • Republic Airlines 4632 reported it was at 9,000 feet seven miles northeast of Robbinsville [about 30 miles from Newark Airport]. ...In 2014, there were 28 laser incidents reported at Newark, 37 at LaGuardia and 17 at JFK Airport. ...UPDATED July 16 2015 6:51 PM EDT: ABC News stated that “the pilot of one plane reported having blurred vision, according to federal officials.”

Iran: U.S. ship and helicopter targeted by laser on Iranian merchant ship

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-09T14:00:26-04:00

A U.S. Navy destroyer and one of its helicopters, in international waters off the coast of Yemen, were targeted multiple times over four days by a laser on an Iranian merchant vessel. The laser harassment began July 5 and ended July 8 2015. There were no reports of injuries or damage caused by the laser, so the Navy “believes it was not of industrial or military grade quality….” A Navy public affairs officer from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command called the Iranian use of the laser as “unsafe” and “unprofessional.” ...Thanks to Greg Makhov for bringing this to our attention. Note: The U.S. Navy in November 2014 deployed the first laser weapon sent into trials on an active duty warship, the USS Ponce. Six commercial welding lasers are merged into a single beam of 30 kilowatts, that can be used against targets including Iranian gunboats, according to SlashGear.

US: Police helicopter pretends to be airplane on approach; lures Phoenix man with laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-08T21:19:32-04:00

On July 1 2015, pilots landing at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport reported being targeted with a green laser. A Phoenix Police helicopter sent to investigate flew a pattern similar to aircraft on approach, and drew laser fire from Scott Allen Hines, 25. Scott Hines Ground officers arrested Hines on four counts of endangerment: two for the police helicopter occupants, and two for the pilots of a fixed wing aircraft that was earlier hit by the laser. The police pilots reported having headaches and seeing spots due to the laser exposure. From the Foothills Focus

US: 2 Orlando men competed to see who could hit more aircraft with lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-08T21:01:20-04:00

Two Orlando men, who had just bought new laser pointers, aimed them into the sky to test the beams’ distance. Bystanders told them to point at airplanes, so the men began a competition to see who could target more aircraft. ...One of the aircraft was a Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Ground officers arrested Rolando Espinoza, 22, and Shannan Winemiller, 21. Espinoza told deputies “he thought he heard that it’s illegal to point lasers at airplanes, but he wasn’t sure at the time.” Each man was charged with pointing a laser light at a driver or pilot, a third degree felony in Florida. From January 1 to July 7 2015, there were 47 laser/aircraft incidents reported to the FBI in Central and Southwest Florida.

US: Oklahoma City man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-07-08T20:46:16-04:00

A man was arrested July 5 2015 for aiming a green laser pointer at an Oklahoma City police helicopter. William Ernst, 23, was a passenger in a car at a drive-thru restaurant when he repeatedly targeted the aircraft. The pilot radioed to ground officers, who arrested Ernst on the laser charge, as well as for possession of fireworks and public drunkenness. William Ernst From KOCO.com and News9.com

US: Appeals court overturns 14-year sentence for Californian Sergio Rodriguez

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-06-25T11:50:24-04:00

The panel held that there is insufficient evidence to support the conviction under § 32(a)(5) and (8), which required proof of both a willful attempt to interfere with an aircraft and a reckless disregard for human life, where the evidence showed that the defendant was attempting to see how far his laser would go at night and aimed it at a helicopter, but there is no evidence that he was trying to interfere with the pilot. ...There’s no problem with Rodriguez’s conviction for Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft, 18 U.S.C. § 39A. But his conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 32(a)(5), (a)(8), for Attempting to Interfere with the Safe Operation of an Aircraft, required both proof of a willful attempt to interfere with an aircraft, and proof of a reckless disregard for human life. ...Ultimately, Rodriguez and Coleman were charged with conspiracy to interfere with the safe operation of an aircraft with reckless disregard for human life, 18 U.S.C. § 32(a)(5), (a)(8), two counts of attempting to interfere with the safe operation of an aircraft with reckless disregard for human life, 18 U.S.C. § 32(a)(5), (a)(8), and two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, 18 U.S.C. § 39A. At trial, government expert Joshua Hadler, Chief Laser Safety Officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, testified that federal regulations prohibit the sale of lasers stronger than five milliwatts. ...As the district court properly recognized in its jury instructions, § 32(a)(5), (a)(8) requires proof that 1) the defendant willfully attempted to interfere with or disable a person engaged in the authorized operation of an aircraft or any air navigation facility aiding in the navigation of an aircraft; 2) the defendant intended to endanger the safety of a person or acted with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life; 3) the aircraft was in the special jurisdiction of the United States or was a civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate commerce; and 4) the defendant took a substantial step toward committing the crime. ...He argues, however, that the government did not adduce any evidence that would allow a rational factfinder to conclude either that he was willfully attempting to interfere with the pilot’s operation of Air-1 or that he acted in reckless disregard for the safety of human life. ... The government argues that this evidence allows for the rational inference that Rodriguez knew the risk posed to the aircraft by the laser and therefore the finding that Rodriguez both acted with reckless disregard for the safety of human life and must have intended to interfere with the pilot’s operation of the aircraft. ...We reversed the sentence, holding that “the bare admission that Gardenhire intentionally aimed the laser [at an aircraft], knowing that it was dangerous to shine the laser in someone’s eyes, does not support the inference . . . that [Gardenhire] was aware of the dangers to the aircraft from doing so,” and therefore could not prove he had the subjective knowledge required for a finding of recklessness.

US: Four aircraft illuminated by lasers over Long Island NY; Sen. Schumer calls for laser ban

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-05-29T15:45:33-04:00

Four aircraft flying 4 miles northwest of Farmingdale, Long Island (New York state) were illuminated by green laser light on May 28 2015 between 9:30 and 10:00 pm. The source appeared to be in or near Bethpage State Park. According to the FAA, the four flights, all taking off from John F. Kennedy International Airport were American Airlines 185, Shuttle America 4213, and Delta Airlines 2292 and 2631. ...New York Senator Charles Schumer repeated his previous support for the US government to ban “long-range” lasers. He said “We have to do something soon and not after a plane crashes.” In an apparently unrelated incident at about 11:30 pm the same night, a Sun Country Airlines flight reported being illuminated with a green laser, ...Thanks to Kyle Strober for bringing the Newsday story to our attention.

US: California man charged in 2014 helicopter lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-05-18T19:01:37-04:00

A 24-year-old man from Moreno Valley, California was charged May 18 2015 in federal court with aiming a green laser beam at a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department helicopter. Miguel Avalos will be arraigned June 24 2015. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The incident happened February 10 2014. The helicopter was helping to locate an Alzheimer’s patient. The green laser light caused the pilot “to become momentarily dazed by the intense light and caused him to lose the abiity to see outside the cockpit’s windows.” From Inland News Today

US: Report of pilot landing in Las Vegas having eye injury from green laser beam

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-05-18T18:26:40-04:00

A crew member of a Frontier Airlines Airbus A319 reported that the pilot suffered an eye injury after being illuminated with a green laser beam. The incident occurred at about 2 am on May 18 2015, during approach about six miles from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, at an altitude of 3,800 feet. The information about the crew member report came from an FAA spokesperson, Ian Gregor. However, according to Frontier spokesperson Jim Faulkner speaking later, the pilot did not suffer an eye injury. After the plane landed, the pilot went to a hotel and did not seek medical care. Faulkner also said the incident did not affect any other flights. From 8NewsNow.com, Fox5Vegas.com, and the Las Vegas Sun.

Luxembourg: Laser beam aimed at Air Rescue helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-05-06T20:17:34-04:00

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US: Appeals court says 30-month sentence for aiming laser at aircraft is too long; defendent did not know of laser risk

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-05-01T10:48:08-04:00

The panel held that the district court erred in concluding that the defendant acted recklessly when he aimed his laser beam at the aircraft, where the record is devoid of evidence, let alone clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant was aware of the risk created by his conduct. ...In light of the extremely steep sentencing regime dictated by the recklessness enhancement for wide-ranging conduct covered by § 2A5.2, the panel wrote that it is particularly important that the government is held to its burden of proof and that the enhancements are supported by clear and convincing evidence. ...We must decide whether the district court correctly found that Adam Gardenhire recklessly endangered an aircraft within the meaning of U.S.S.G. § 2A5.2(a)(2)(A) when he pointed a laser beam at a Cessna Citation jet, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 39A. ...Sasso, the defendant was charged under 18 U.S.C. § 32(a)(5), which makes it a crime to “willfully . . . interfere[ ] with or disable[ ], with intent to endanger the safety of any person or with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life, anyone engaged in the authorized operation of [an] aircraft or any air navigation facility aiding in the navigation of any such aircraft.” ...Unlike in Naghani and Gonzalez, here the government introduced no evidence that supported a subjective awareness of the consequences of aiming a laser beam at an aircraft, and the bare admission that Gardenhire intentionally aimed the laser, knowing that it was dangerous to shine the laser in someone’s eyes, does not support the inference the district court drew—that he was aware of the dangers to the aircraft from doing so. ...” Expressing its frustration with the government’s failure to submit evidence that Gardenhire was aware that aiming a laser beam at an aircraft would endanger it, or linking his knowledge that the laser should not be pointed at a person’s eye to a supposed intentional effort to aim it at the pilot’s eye, the district court continued the hearing so that the government could get him the FBI reports that it represented contained the critical evidence. ...§ 39A (aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft), 18 U. S.C. § 1992(a) (6) (incapacitating the operator of a mass transportation vehicle with intent to endanger safety), 49 U. S.C. § 46503 (assaulting an airport employee), 49 U. S.C. § 46504 (assaulting a flight crew member or flight attendant), 49 U. S.C. § 46308(2) (continuing to maintain a misleading light after a warning).

UK: Two men charged with shining a laser at Humberside Police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-04-11T13:11:33-04:00

Humberside Police announced April 10 2015 that two men had been charged with a February 11 2015 incident where a green laser light was aimed at a police helicopter flying over the Carnaby area of East Yorkshire. The helicopter team sent a tweet afterwards: “Whilst conducting search [we were] lasered. Speechless!” Humberside Police helicopter photo of laser glare from February 11 2015 illumination The men, aged 31 and 46, will appear at Beverley Magistrates Court on May 20 2015 on charges of endangering an aircraft, which has a penalty of up to two years in prison. From BBC News and the Bridlington Free Press

US: Pilot has "burning sensation", visits doctor after being hit near Oakland

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-04-02T23:03:41-04:00

The pilot in a traffic-reporting aircraft had green laser light flashed in his eye, while over San Ramon, California at 6:40 am local time on April 2 2015. He felt a "minor burning sensation" from the "very, very strong" laser beam. After landing at Livermore Airport, the pilot had his eyes checked by a doctor. The pilot’s eyes appeared unharmed, but the doctor recommended that the pilot see a specialist. ABC 7 News later reported that the pilot was “okay now”, and that the source is believed to be an industrial park in San Ramon. ...The pilot was flying for radio station KCBS in the San Francisco Bay area. ... The KCBS traffic reporter in the plane, Ron Cervi, said he did not notice the laser until the pilot turned to him and said he had been struck by a laser beam “right in the eye.”

US: San Diego police let off 2 teens who aimed laser at Southwest flight and police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-04-02T22:24:28-04:00

San Diego police did not charge two teenagers who pointed a green laser at a Southwest Airlines flight and a San Diego police helicopter at about 10:30 pm local time on April 1 2015. After the Southwest pilot reported the laser illumination, the helicopter located the source and sent ground units to investigate. A 15-year-old boy visiting his friend was found with the laser. Police “explained the danger and legal repercussions” of aiming a laser at an aircraft to the teens. Charges were not filed because neither youth had a criminal record, and the teens expressed “remorse” at their actions. From Fox 5 San Diego

US: Medical helicopter pilot in Denver has "sore eyes" after laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-04-02T12:35:14-04:00

The pilot of a medical helicopter flying in the Denver area was illuminated with a laser beam at about 8:30 pm local time on March 30 2015. The pilot made a “precautionary landing … was checked out and is off work for the next few days due to having sore eyes.” The source of the laser is unknown. From KUSA 9 News

US: UPDATED - Two Calif. men indicted for separate laser-pointing incidents on helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-03-29T11:21:26-04:00

Quenga was charged with interfering with the safe operation of an aircraft, which could result in up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. He was also charged with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, which could result in up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. ...On September 12 2014, Bowser aimed a green laser beam at the Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter Air-1 while it was supporting ground units responding to a man armed with a gun. ...As with Quenga, he could face up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Reporter Farivar noted that Escobar has become the top prosecutor for laser cases in the U.S. Between federal and state convictions in her Eastern District of California (which includes Fresno, Sacramento and Bakersfield), more than 35 percent of the total U.S. laser strike convictions have come from Escobar’s district. ...UPDATED September 23 2016 — Bowser was sentenced in September 28 2015 to two years in prison plus three years of supervised release, plus a $10,000 “special assessment fee.” On September 23 2016, Bowser wrote a public letter of apology saying he lost his “entire life” for shining a laser at a helicopter for three seconds.

US: Air Force base employee, 57, repeatedly hits Tampa sheriff's helicopter with laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-03-18T22:13:53-04:00

A man who worked as a historian at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida, was arrested March 13 2015 for aiming a laser pointer at a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s helicopter. There had been reports of a pilot flying over Plant City, Florida who was flashed by a green laser beam. ... The pilot reported “he’s hitting us repeatedly, and he’s not shy about it.” ...The suspect, realizing he had been spotted, took off in his car — with the laser. However, ground officers caught Polson at the entrance to his subdivision and took him to jail, where he was charged with misusing a laser device which is a felony, and for opposing a police officer during an arrest which is a misdemeanor. ...According to the Tampa Tribune, in September 2013 Polson sent an email to the newspaper saying he had been harassed for several years by law enforcement helicopters and aircraft. He said the harassment occurred daily but “made no sense” because he is “no threat to anyone.”

Ireland: Rescue helicopter targeted with a laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-03-15T22:48:02-04:00

A coast guard rescue helicopter looking for a missing man was targeted by a laser pen at about 1 am local time on March 14 2015, in Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), County Donegal, Ireland. The Garda superintendent said ““I must question the thought process of any individual who would endanger rescue personnel answering a call for assistance.” Authorities asked for help in finding the unknown perpetrator. From Highland Radio and the Irish Mirror

US: UPDATED - 3 pilots go for eye treatment after multiple LaGuardia laser illuminations

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-03-10T13:19:56-04:00

On March 19 2015, ten days after the New York incident, an FAA spokesperson wrote to LaserPointerSafety.com saying “The FAA is unaware of any U.S. commercial pilot who has suffered permanent eye damage as a result of exposure to laser light when in the cockpit.” ...For a visible-wavelength laser this depends on the laser’s output power, beam diameter and spread (divergence), as well as the exposure time. ... • Exposure time: We use the standard 1/4 second exposure time, determined by laser safety scientists to be longer than a person’s “aversion response” where they involuntarily blink and/or turn away from a bright light. ...An approximate description is: “At 1/3 of the NOHD, when the laser and the eyeball are fixed in position in a laboratory setting, there is a 50 percent chance of causing the smallest medically detectable change to the retina. ...At 1/3 of the NOHD, there is a 50% chance, under laboratory conditions, of the laser causing the smallest medically detectable change to the retina. ...For the powers given above, here is the 1/3-of-the-NOHD distance at which 50% of the time there is likely to be a detectable change to the retina under laboratory conditions where the laser and eyeball are fixed relative to each other: ...The chance of eye injury to the NYPD and AirCanada pilots depends on how close they were to the laser that was aimed at them, and of course to the actual output power and characteristics of the laser.

US: (Not a laser) Distraction from selfies and maybe camera flash likely cause of fatal crash, NTSB says

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-02-04T10:49:43-05:00

Based on the evidence of cell phone use during low-altitude maneuvering, including the flight immediately before the accident flight, it is likely that cell phone use during the accident flight distracted the pilot and contributed to the development of spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control.” They also stated that the pilot’s logbooks indicated he was did not meet requirements for flying in the weather conditions (night instrument usage) or for flying at night with passengers. ...The story noted that the pilot, Amritpal Singh, was not violating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for general aviation pilots by taking photos in the cockpit. ...He found “a trove of photos and videos taken by people clearly sitting in the pilot or co-pilot seat on commercial flights. ... According to Yanofsky, the FAA does require commercial flights to have a “sterile cockpit” on takeoff, from taxiing to 10,000 feet, and again on landing from 10,0000 feet until gate parking. ... The rule does not apply to general aviation — the classification for the fatal May 31 2014 Cessna flight — or for planes with no commercial passengers. Yanofsky’s story includes photos of pilots, apparently flying commercial airliners or for air carriers, taking pictures of themselves in the cockpit.

US: Delta Connection flight hit by laser beam on approach to LaGuardia

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-01-24T17:42:45-05:00

A regional jet from Endeavor Air, flying as Delta Connection, was illuminated by a laser beam while on approach to New York’s LaGuardia Airport on January 23 2015. The crews was relieved of duty while being evaluated for any ill effects. The FAA is investigating. From MyFOXNY

US: Three Delta flights illuminated by lasers at LAX

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-01-10T17:34:16-05:00

Three Delta Airlines flights were illuminated by laser light when near or landing at Los Angeles International Airport on January 4 2015. All three landed safely. • Flight 1211, a Boeing 767, reported a laser strike inbound at 2,500 feet while westbound seven miles east of LAX around 4:45 p.m. • At the exact same time Flight 34, also a Boeing 767, reported a laser strike outbound at 14,000 feet while northeast bound about 12 miles northeast of LAX. • Later in the evening, Flight 984, a Boeing 737, reported a laser strike inbound while heading west at 6,000 feet approximately 25 miles east of LAX around 10:30 p.m. An FAA spokesperson said that from January 1 through December 19 2014, there were 101 laser strikes around Los Angeles. From Ars Technica and NBC Los Angeles

US: Allegiant pilot goes to hospital after New Year's Day laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2015-01-07T15:56:14-05:00

On New Year’s Day 2014, the first officer for Allegiant Air Flight 558 from Los Angeles was illuminated by laser light as he landed at Rogue Valley (Oregon) International Airport. He went to a hospital for an eye evaluation. An airline spokesperson said the first officer was found to be “okay” and was “cleared to fly back to LAX after the incident.” He added that “Laser strikes have been uncommon incidences [sic] in our operations.” The aircraft’s scheduled 8:30 departure for Los Angeles was delayed until the next morning. A passenger on the plane said an announcement was made that the laser strike occurred as the plane was passing over the Siskiyou Pass just north of the California-Oregon border. Passengers were told it was an attempt “to cause laser blindness and potentially cause a crash.”

US: Florida man arrested for aiming green laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-12-16T20:33:07-05:00

A 22-year-old Coconut Creek, Florida man was arrested November 26 2014 for aiming a green laser beam three times at a Broward Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Jonathan Leiva was charged with misuse of a laser lighting device, and was released on $1,000 bond. An officer in the helicopter, deputy Christopher Marchese said the crew was searching for a suspect when the cockpit was suddenly illuminated with a “big green light”. He was illuminated directly in his right eye, and another crew member was also hit in the eye. When the beam hit again, Marchese was able to see the laser beam and follow it down to Leiva’s location. Ground officers arrested Leiva, who admitted shining his laser at the helicopter. ...From January 1 to November 14 2014, there were 317 laser/aircraft incidents in Florida. 49 of these took place in Broward County, and 18 in adjacent Palm Beach County.

US: 2 Coast Guard training missions cut short after laser tracks helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-11-06T18:16:00-05:00

Two Coast Guard training missions in Michigan were cut short after the pilot and crew were illuminated with green laser beams. One mission took place October 17 2014, the other mission three days later. The Coast Guard announced the incidents in a statement on November 5 2014. The HH-65C Dolphin helicopters were based in Detroit. “During both incidents the lasers appeared to track the helicopters as they moved,” said the agency. The Coast Guard has strict rules requiring helicopters to abandon their missions if illuminated with laser light. Anyone exposed is taken off flight duty for 24 hours, has their eyes dilated and must be cleared by a doctor before flying again.

US: 37 months in prison for aiming at two news helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-11-05T18:24:16-05:00

A 33-year-old South Carolina man was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison on November 4 2014, for aiming a green laser beam at two news helicopters as they hovered over an accident site. Damien Wade Conley was in a pickup truck on Interstate 85 on November 20 2013 when, stopped in traffic due to the accident, he repeatedly aimed a laser pointer out the front window towards the helicopters. One pilot said “When he hit us with that laser, the first thing I saw was the whole cockpit lit up green.” Two views from WYYFF’s Sky4 helicopter, showing the beam from Conley’s vehicle being aimed close to the aircraft, and then aimed directly into the camera. From WYFF4 and an FBI press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Carolina

UK: Hampshire-area man fined £245 for "recklessly" aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-11-04T20:22:11-05:00

A 21-year-old man from Ringwood, in Hampshire, pleaded guilty November 4 2014 to “recklessly” dazzling a police helicopter with a laser pen. Angus Beezer Martin was fined £140, plus a £20 victim surcharge and costs of £85. The laser was destroyed. The incident happened August 4 2014. From the Salisbury Journal

Australia: "Slight eye pain" for crew of helicopter targeted by teen

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-10-31T20:34:39-04:00

A 19-year-old Woollamia man will appear in Nowra (NSW) Local Court after being charged with shining a laser pointer at a navy helicopter from HMAS Albatross on October 30 2014. It is alleged the man targeted a Seahawk helicopter from 816 Squadron as it was returning to HMAS Albatross after a training flight about 10.30pm. The high-powered laser was pointed at the aircraft for around a minute from the car park of the man’s workplace at South Nowra. The helicopter landed safely, with the four crew members on board treated for slight eye pain. Police from the Shoalhaven Local Area Command interviewed the pilot and co-pilot, who provided an approximate location of the beam’s origin. Police searched the area and located the 19-year-old man. A laser pointer was seized by police and the man was issued with a future court attendance notice and is due to appear in Nowra Local Court on November 19.

UK: Total fines of £415 for London-area man who aimed at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-10-14T11:29:33-04:00

A 32-year-old man was sentenced on October 14 2014 for aiming a laser pen at a London Metropolitan Police helicopter. He was fined £300, plus he had to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs of £85 (total £415 or U.S. $666). On July 19 2014, helicopter “India 99” was trying to locate 10 people walking across rooftops. Arkadiusz Wozniewski of the London suburb of New Malden aimed a laser pen at the aircraft. This caused the search to be called off. Wozniewski pleaded guilty in Wimbledon Magistrates Court on October 8 2014. From the Surrey Comet

US: 12-year-old Maryland boy aims laser pointer at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-10-13T22:29:53-04:00

A 12-year-old boy aimed a green laser beam at a Maryland State Police helicopter on October 12 2014. The aircraft was returning from a medivac mission when it was illuminated four times by the beam, near Mount Airy MD. Ground police who were directed by the helicopter to the laser’s source. The boy was given a warning. Police described the laser as an “astronomy” laser used to locate objects in the sky. From the Baltimore Sun, WFMD, and CBS Baltimore

UK: Police copter abandons search for missing North Yorkshire woman, due to 6-year-old aiming laser pen

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-10-02T11:07:19-04:00

A North Yorkshire Police helicopter was searching in Selby, a town 14 miles south of York, for a missing 89-year-old woman on September 27 2014 when the aircraft was struck by a laser beam. The pilot was forced to abandon the search for about 10 minutes, in order to direct ground officers. They found a six-year-old boy had been aiming a laser pen at the aircraft. The officers spoke to the child’s parents, telling them that shining light in pilots’ eyes is dangerous. The boy was said to have had no malicious intent. The missing woman was later located “safe and well,” according to police quoted in an October 2 2014 news story. From YorkPress.com

US: Police copter abandons search for Queens rapist, due to laser pointer attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-10-02T10:58:31-04:00

A New York Police Department helicopter was searching in the New York City borough of Queens for a rapist at about 8 pm on September 24 2014 when the aircraft was struck by a laser beam. The pilots were said to be blinded. They were forced to abandon the search in order to track down the laser offender. Neither the rapist nor the laser perpetrator have been found, as of October 1 2014 when the NYPD made details of the incident public on their Facebook page. From Pix11.com and the police Facebook page

UK: 107 laser pens seized from house near Southampton Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-27T13:09:10-04:00

British police in late September 2014 seized 107 laser pens from a house in Eastleigh, Hampshire, near the flight path of Southampton Airport. In the ten weeks prior to September 26 2014, there were seven incidents of lasers being pointed at aircraft; five of these led to arrests. News reports did not directly link the misuse to the man arrested with the 107 laser pens. It also is not known if the investigation that led to the seizure was started in response to the aircraft incidents, or was separately initiated. ...One of the seized pens was said to be 650 times more powerful than normal. Given that U.K. regulations prohibit laser pointers above 1 mW, the pen was likely 650 milliwatts. This is Class 4, the most hazardous laser classification, as the beam can cause eye and even skin burns.

Canada: UPDATED - Pilots suffer itching, irritation from laser strike while landing in Ottawa

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-27T12:28:25-04:00

A RCMP officer responsible for YVR told News 1130 that the eye effects could have been worse: “Some instances, pilots are temporarily blinded or have retinal damage done where they lose their qualifications and can’t fly any more.” ...COMMENTARY FROM LASERPOINTERSAFETY.COM: The RCMP officer is correct that, in many cases, pilots are temporarily flashblinded by the bright light. ... However, LaserPointerSafety.com is unaware of any incident where U.S. FAA or U.K. CAA has confirmed a pilot’s claim of permanent retinal damage. We are further unaware of any such FAA- or CAA-reported incident where laser illumination resulted in a pilot permanently losing his or her qualification to fly. There is the possibility that perhaps military pilots in conflict zones have been permanently injured by ground-based laser attacks. ... (In a 1997 incident, a U.S. military observer claimed to have retinal damage from a Russian ship’s laser. ...UPDATED - October 1 2014: CBC News reports that during September 2014 there were five reports of lasers being aimed at aircraft in the Ottawa area.

Australia: Incident in Mandurah comes one week after another man fined $10,000

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-26T12:35:27-04:00

A 28-year-old man from Mandurah, Western Australia, was arrested for aiming a green laser beam at a police helicopter. The September 26 2014 arrest came one week after another Mandurah man, Raymond Alexander Moore, was fined AUS $10,000 for an August 25 incident where Moore continually aimed a laser at a police helicopter. In the new incident, the helicopter was conducting a search when it was hit numerous times at about 2:30 am. The unidentified man was arrested at his home in Meadow Springs, northeast of central Mandurah. From the Mandurah Mail and ABC News

US: Two Texas men indicted for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-26T11:24:49-04:00

Two Texas men were indicted by a federal grand jury on September 24 2014, for aiming a green laser pointer at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter. ...A DPS crew responded to a report of a medical helicopter having laser beams aimed at it, near Amarillo’s Tradewind Airport. As it searched, the DPS helicopter was struck by laser beams two or three times. Suspects on the ground got into a van and drove away. The DPS aircraft followed them, directing ground officers who closed in. ...The grand jury indicted on charges of aiming at an aircraft, which has a penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The men were also indicted on an “aiding and abetting” charge.

US: Coast Guard helicopter in California targeted by laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-24T18:18:32-04:00

Laser pointers can cause glare, afterimage, flash blindness or temporary loss of night vision, all causing great danger to the crew. If a laser is shined in the eyes of an aircrew member, Coast Guard flight rules dictate that the aircraft must abort its mission. In order to protect their health and safety the member is taken off flight duty until cleared by a flight surgeon. ...It is a federal crime, as well as a violation of California state law to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft. If an individual is caught purposefully lasing an aircraft, punishment ranges from being arrested or having to pay a civil penalty of $1000 up to $2,000 and 3 years imprisonment. ... A list of California aviation laser incidents can be seen at the following location: http://laserpointersafety.com/news/news/aviation-incidents_files/tag-california.php. ...The Coast Guard wants to prevent future laser strikes and is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Arcata Police to investigate the incident.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-24T16:55:39-04:00

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. ...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.

Australia: After Perth laser helicopter illumination, police seize lasers, rifle, knives

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-23T11:18:21-04:00

A police helicopter was “targeted by a green laser beam on numerous occasions” according to a spokesperson, as it flew over the Perth-area suburb of Beckenham on September 23 2014. The beam was traced back to a home in the East Victoria Park suburb. At the home, police seized two green laser pointers, a rifle, and “several display knives.” There were no arrests as of the next day. Police said a 30-year-old man was assisting with their inquiries. From the West Australian via Yahoo! News

US: UPDATED - Laser at Orlando-area high school football game hits TV & police helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-21T12:49:41-04:00

Police in Oviedo, a city 18 miles northeast of Orlando, are searching for two suspects who aimed a green laser beam at a local TV helicopter, and then at a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on September 19 2014. ...A screenshot of footage from the TV helicopter shows the bright green flash as the beam is aimed directly at the camera: A second later, as the beam is aimed away from the camera, the laser location is visible in the crowd at the end of the bleachers: ...The bright object at lower left inside the yellow circle appears to be the laser, held in the left suspect’s right hand. According to the station, a sheriff’s department helicopter was also hit; presumably it was responding to the WKMG illumination. Deputies told WKMG reporter Shaun Chaiyabhat that they talked to two teenaged suspects, but the deputies think the teens might have passed the laser pointer to friends in the crowd. ...The laser was not only pointed at the helicopters, but “players on the field were also complaining of getting flashed by the bright light.”

Australia: AUS $10,000 fine for "stupid idiot" in Mandurah shining laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-20T12:11:41-04:00

A 40-year-old man from Mandurah, Western Australia, was fined AUS $10,000 (US $9,093) on September 19 2014 for aiming a green laser beam at a police helicopter. A news report said that Raymond Alexander Moore “showed his disregard for the court” by shaking his head as his fine was announced. On August 25 2014, a police helicopter searching for a violent offender was continually blinded by a green laser beam. ...According to Moore’s lawyer, Moore had been outside with his dog, playing with the laser, when he decided to aim at the helicopter: “He didn’t think it would hit or reach the aircraft.” When ground officers, directed by the helicopter pilot, arrived at Moore’s home, he said he was “stupid” and “an idiot” for aiming at the helicopter. Moore faced up to three years in jail and up to AUS $36,000 maximum fine. The judge said “the risk of damage was huge” and that Moore “should be grateful this offence was dealt with in this court” [instead of jail].

UK: 12 month community order for Farnworth man who aimed laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-11T11:05:49-04:00

James Hunt, 27, of Farnworth was sentenced September 10 2014, for aiming a laser pen from his bedroom window at a police helicopter on May 23 2014. The laser strike caused the helicopter to abandon a search for a missing person, in order to determine Hunt’s location in Farnworth, a town of 25,000 that is situated nine miles northwest of Manchester. In August, Hunt pleaded guilty to acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, and to possession of cannabis. He was given a community order for 12 months, a supervision order, was fined £20, was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge, and he had his laser pen and cannabis forfeited. From the Bolton News

US: Two California brothers arraigned for disrupting sheriff's helicopter with laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-09T09:55:16-04:00

Brothers Abrahim Rashid Khan, 20, and Shaun Ahmed Khan, 18, pleaded not guilty on September 8 2014 in Riverside (Ca.) County Superior Court to one misdemeanor charge each of maliciously pointing a laser at an aircraft. The incident occurred July 14 2014, when a sheriff’s helicopter was struck “numerous times” by a laser beam. Ground officers were directed to the source of the beam, where the two brothers were arrested without incident. A trial conference was set for November 12 2014. From Valley News

US: Airplane flight patterns changed after Tampa man aims laser at landing aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-09T09:33:22-04:00

A police spokesperson said that one or more of the commercial jets that were targeted, had devices that can locate the laser’s source. ...He told the officers that it was a “prank” and he did not mean to intentionally interfere with the aircraft. Elhelw was charged with misuse of a laser lighting device and was released on $2,000 bail. ...Postscript: A Tampa Tribune conservative political blogger posted a column online at the Tampa Tribune website entitled “Egyptian picks wrong week to laser-target airliner.” Staff writer Tom Jackson began by noting that the lasing occurred on the 9/11 anniversary week, and was done by a person the FBI said was born in Egypt. Jackson then wrote “Just now, we have no reason to believe this was anything but a dopey prank by a goofball 24-year-old taking a break from his PlayStation 4, and that may well be what he claims if he’s ever called to throw himself on the mercy of the court. But the court of public opinion is already rendering its verdict, and it is not in a mercy-granting mood for fellows whose mugshot reminds it of Mohamed Atta’s baby brother, and shares his homeland.

US: Tacoma-area man arrested for aiming at police plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-03T16:01:42-04:00

Photos from the aircraft, showing the laser aimed at the aircraft, and two infrared images of the mobile home park and Hoffman’s arrest. From Q13 Fox News and the News Tribune

UK: 16 and 12 week sentences for two Birmingham-area men in "persistent and determined" laser pen attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-09-02T15:16:31-04:00

Two men from Walsall were sentenced September 2 2014 for up to 16 weeks in prison, for what a West Midlands police helicopter pilot called the most “persistent and determined” laser pen attack in his 14 years with the police. ...Bruno -- said to be responsible for 90 percent of the attack -- was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail. ...The two had been drinking when they began to aim a laser at the police helicopter as it was tracking a stolen car. ...Bruno told arresting police that it was a joke, but then said his actions had put the helicopter in danger. ...At trial, the defender said that Bruno, in particular, was terrified at the prospect of the court case: "His family say he has not been able to eat or sleep and has wept constantly. ...During sentencing, the judge said "This type of case is one of the most difficult that a judge has to deal with because I have before me two men of good character but each charged with a very serious offence. ... You had both been drinking and no doubt thought it would be a jokey thing to do but it was not and it could have had catastrophic consequences."

US: UPDATED - Oakland teen indicted for aiming laser at CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-29T14:38:53-04:00

Christian Palomino, 18, was indicted August 28 2014 by a federal grand jury for knowingly aiming a laser at an aircraft. On June 7 2014, a California Highway Patrol helicopter was responding to an incident in Oakland when the flight officer noticed two green flashes aimed at the aircraft. ...In an affidavit, an FBI special agent stated that “the two officers in the CHP helicopter had to divert their attention back and forth between searching for the source of the laser and providing assistance to the OPD.” According to the Contra Costa Times, Palomino was taking a selfie video during the incident: “In the video, Palomino yelled at the helicopter pilot, ‘Look at this laser!’ ...According to SFGate, “In a recorded telephone conversation from jail, Palomino asked his mother in Spanish if she had recorded a news segment about the incident, which he described as an ‘embarrassment,’ Koh wrote [in the affidavit]. ...The teen was released into the custody of his mother, and will be arraigned on September 5 2014. ...UPDATED December 2 2015 — Palomino was sentenced to five years probation, including six months of community confinement in a halfway house, 200 hours of community service, and not owning a laser pointer.

US: UPDATED - Kansas City man indicted on federal charges for aiming at city police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-27T14:03:30-04:00

Jordan Clarence Rogers, 24, of Kansas City, was indicted August 26 2014 for aiming a laser pointer at a Kansas City Police Department helicopter on October 8 2013. A federal grand jury handed down the indictment. From Connect MidMissouri UPDATED September 8 2016: Rogers pleaded guilty to one felony count. Prosecutors say the pilot sustained eye strain that lasted for hours. From KSNT.com

Australia: Mandurah man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-26T13:48:53-04:00

A 39-year-old Western Australian man was arrested for aiming a green laser beam numerous times at a police helicopter on August 25 2014. The man, from Mandurah (about 45 miles south of Perth), was tracked by the helicopter’s infrared camera to his home. From WA Today

UK: £300 fine for Rotherham man attempting to distract a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-25T13:54:08-04:00

Ben Roe, 23, pleaded guilty in late August 2014 to aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter on July 28 2014. Roe, who lives in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was fined £300, plus £85 in court costs for his attempt to distract the pilot. His laser pen was also seized. From The Star

Canada: Man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter in Richmond Hill; pilot seeks treatment

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-25T13:40:51-04:00

An unidentified man was arrested after an Air 2 police helicopter pilot reported being temporarily blinded by a laser beam at about 11:30 pm on August 24 2014, while flying over Richmond Hill, in the Toronto metropolitan area. The pilot was able to identify the source location of the laser. He then landed and sought medical treatment. Ground officers stopped a vehicle and arrested the man. From CTV News Toronto

US: Texas man indicted on federal charges for aiming at DPS helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-23T13:24:58-04:00

Steven Alexander Chavez, Jr. of Garland, Texas, was indicted in late August 2014 by a federal grand jury in Dallas, for aiming a green laser beam at a Department of Public Safety helicopter. If convicted, Chavez, 23, faces up to five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. On August 24 2013, as a DPS helicopter flew over Garland, a green laser light illuminated the cockpit. ... When confronted, the three men did not want to identify who did it, until they were told the helicopter had video of the incident and suspects. ...Chavez had been arrested just a few weeks earlier, on August 3 2013, on suspicion of drunken driving. ... When asked if his trouble remembering was because he was drunk, Chavez reportedly said “Probably.”) He had served a four-month sentence in Lubbock, earlier in 2013, also for drunk driving.

US: 3 aircraft lased while landing at Salt Lake City

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-23T12:05:21-04:00

Three aircraft, on approach about six miles south of Salt Lake City International Airport, were targeted with a green laser beam between 8:00 and 8:15 pm local time, August 17 2014. The SkyWest aircraft, which held from 20 to 50 passengers, “landed without incident and there were no injuries,” according to an airport spokesperson. ...The Deseret News quoted the president of the Utah General Aviation Association, who said he had a laser aimed at his private plane while landing near Sandy, Utah. The beam entered the cockpit several times over about 10 seconds. "When the laser came into the cockpit, I realized immediately what it was, and specifically didn't look at it," Dave Haymond said. ... I knew what it was and how dangerous it was … and was able to protect myself from it. ...From the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News

Ireland: Laser pen aimed at police helicopter in Larne

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-20T12:52:02-04:00

A laser pen was aimed at a police helicopter in Larne, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland on August 16 2014. Ground officers were directed to a home where they arrested a 19-year-old male on suspicion of possession of cannabis. In addition, an investigation is continuing. The area commander told the Larne Times that lasing aircraft is an offense under the Air Navigation Order as it is “highly irresponsible and dangerous”. From the Larne Times

UK: Police helicopter struck by laser near Manchester; 13-year-old involved

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-20T12:45:06-04:00

A Greater Manchester police helicopter was dazzled by the beam from a laser pen on August 16 2014, as it flew over Eccles, about 4 miles west of Manchester. The pilot located the beam at the Brookstone Estate in Peel Green. Ground officers found a 13-year-old with a laser. They confiscated the laser and spoke to the youth. No charges were immediately filed, but an investigation is ongoing. The pilot did not need or seek medical attention. According to the chief inspector, there were five incidents “in the past couple of months.”

Canada: Two separate incidents in one evening, in Regina

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-18T12:25:13-04:00

Aircraft over Regina were targeted twice in one night, in two separate incidents on the late evening of August 17 and the early morning of August 18 2014. In the first incident, around 11:30 pm, a laser beam was aimed at the cockpit of a landing plane. Police were able to find five youths on a roof in south Regina. Of the three boys and two girls, one of the boys had a laser pointer. No one was charged though police were still investigating. In the second incident, just before 2:30 am, the laser light came from north Regina and was aimed at a plane flying over south Regina. No suspects were identified.

UK: "Really stupid man" arrested for shining laser pen at West Yorkshire police

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-16T23:56:14-04:00

Lee Gary Greenway, a 25-year-old man from Featherstone, was arrested July 31 2014 for aiming a laser pen at a West Yorkshire police helicopter. The aircraft was searching for a high-risk missing person at the time. Lee Gary Greenway During his arrest, he apologized for his actions and called them “really stupid”, according to the judge at Greenway’s August 25 2014 hearing. Greenway pleaded guilty to endangering an aircraft. He was released on bail pending sentencing on September 8. From the Wakefield Express

UK: Woman who deliberately aimed at police helicoper avoids jail sentence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-15T13:00:46-04:00

A 20-year-old woman from Bircotes, Nottinghamshire, avoided jail when sentenced August 14 2014 for aiming a laser pen a number of times at a police helicopter. On January 28 2014, the tactical officer onboard a police helicopter saw a laser and was able to warn the pilot, who avoided the direct beam. ...Ground officers were sent to the source of the laser light, where they found Leanne Martin and a “powerful” laser pen she had purchased on eBay. During trial, she said she had been using the laser pen to excite her dog, when she heard the helicopter. Although her boyfriend warned her not to aim at the aircraft, she opened a window and pointed the laser at the helicopter. ...She did not realise how powerful the laser was and had not seen the warning sticker which says to ‘avoid eye contact.’ ...Martin was sentenced to 12 months of community order (probation/supervision) and 120 hours unpaid work, £85 in court costs, and a £60 victim surcharge.

UK: Laser pointed at air ambulance over Warwick

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-14T12:39:01-04:00

A Midlands Air Ambulance was targeted by a laser beam over Warwick at an altitude of 1,200 ft., as it flew victims of an automobile accident to Coventry’s University Hospital on August 11 2014. According to a trauma doctor on board, “Fortunately for us, the pilot is highly experienced and dealt with it. But, had the laser caught anyone’s eye albeit briefly, it can lead to blindness for at least ten minutes and a loss of spatial awareness. Had we not taken action and avoided being been dazzled, it would have prevented us landing until the visual effects had settled, delaying treatment of the casualty. It has the same effect as deliberately slowing down an ambulance en-route to hospital. If we can find whoever is responsible, we will seek to have them prosecuted.” From the Stratford Observer and BBC News England

US: SW Florida teen "meant no harm" by aiming a laser at an airplane and police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-13T23:32:57-04:00

A teenager who recently moved to southwest Florida from Cuba was arrested after he aimed a laser pointer at a commercial aircraft and a police helicopter, on August 8 2014. Seventeen-year-old Daniel Castillo first pointed the laser at an aircraft coming into to land at Southwest Florida International Airport in South Fort Myers. A Lee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was sent to find the source. ...The youth told WZVN TV that he was playing with the laser and did not mean any harm. His uncle said that Castillo did not know it was wrong: “It’s not like it was intentional to hurt someone, he didn’t know the consequence.” A spokesman for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Division said that laser illuminations can be “very distracting and devastating... All of our crews have been hit with lasers at one point or another.

US: Charlotte-area teen's parents call police after son tells them he aimed laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-08-04T23:16:08-04:00

Smith Hayden Brundage, 19, of Mecklenburg, North Carolina, was charged with two counts of use of a laser device towards an aircraft, after he aimed a green laser pointer at a Charlotte-Meckenburg Police Department helicopter on August 12 2014. According to Brundage’s lawyer, the teen wanted to see if the laser light could reach the CMPD helicopter. ... His lawyer says the youth is a “really good kid who made a really dumb decision” and is “ready to face up to” prosecution. ...The FBI joined the local police department in investigating the incident. The federal agency has not decided whether to file federal charges. According to the FAA, there were 34 laser shining incidents to date in 2014, in North Carolina; nine of these occurred in the Charlotte area. From WFMY News 2, Time Warner Cable News and WSOC-TV

US: Florida man, 52, arrested; helicopter noise bothered him so he aimed a laser at it

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-07-11T02:04:53-04:00

A 52-year-old from West Boca, Florida, was arrested July 10 2014 for aiming a laser pointer at a Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office helicopter. The pilots said they had been “disoriented” by the laser light. James McDonald told arresting officers that the noise had been bothering him. He apologized, saying that he did not know that pointing a laser at an aircraft was illegal. He was charged with pointing a laser light at a pilot, which is a third-degree felony in Florida. From the Sun Sentinel

Australia: Perth-area man fined AUS $2500 for multiple laser hits on police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-07-10T12:46:17-04:00

A 51-year-old Perth-area man was fined AUS $2500 (USD $2350) on July 8 2014 for “causing fear or alarm with a laser”. At about 11:30 pm on April 19 2014, Peter Allan McArthur of Parmelia aimed a green laser numerous times at a police helicopter. Ground officers found McArthur with two handheld lasers; he told the officers that he aimed at the aircraft “to see what happens”. During trial, the police prosecutor said McArthur should face a jail sentence due to the potential hazard. According to his lawyer, McArthur’s laser misuse “could have had serious consequences but he did not intend for anything like that to happen. ...The judge let McArthur off with the $2500 fine, plus $147 in court costs and his lasers would be destroyed. She said she took into account that McArthur pleaded guilty and had a minimal record.

US, Canada: Aircraft have close calls with drone UAVs (not a laser incident)

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-07-10T12:02:09-04:00

On July 1 2014,, there were two close calls between small, unmanned, remote-controlled aerial vehicles (UAVs) and human-carrying aircraft. [Although these are not laser incidents, we are mentioning them here as they are harbingers of another potential aircraft hazard.] • In Vancouver, the pilot of a K.D. Air Corporation airplane reported a near-miss with a UAV when taking off from Vancouver International Airport. ... A Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesperson said this was not the first case, and they have investigated several complaints of model aircraft flying near the airport. According to the Vancouver Sun, he also said that “lasers pointed at police helicopters and other aircraft are equally troubling and there are few regulations prohibiting the use of either device in such situations.” • In New York City, a UAV described as a “drone” flying near the George Washington Bridge came within 800 feet of a police helicopter. The UAV was at about 2,000 feet altitude, which is above the 400 foot limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration for model aircraft used for recreation.

US: UPDATED - Yet another Orlando person arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-07-03T09:29:15-04:00

In the third Orlando-area incident in less than a month, 30-year-old Joseph Parrott was arrested on July 2 2014 for aiming a green laser pointer at an Orange County sheriff’s department helicopter. ...The helicopter crew was investigating an attempted burglary when they were hit “about four or five times” by a person in a car stopped at a traffic light. Parrott was charged with knowingly and willfully pointing a laser lighting device at the pilot of an aircraft, which is a third degree felony in Florida. Federal charges under the February 2012 law -- with a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $250,000 fine -- may also be filed. In addition, the state attorney’s office was considering charging the driver of the car, Steven Romano, age 55. ...This incident comes less than a month after an Orlando-area teen was arrested June 7 for aiming a laser at a Seminole County sheriff’s helicopter (just north of Orlando), and only two days after an Orlando-area teen was arrested June 30 for aiming a laser at an Osceola County sheriff’s helicopter (just south of Orlando). ...UPDATED November 18 2014 - Parrott was found guilty of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

US: Another Orlando-area teen arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-07-02T10:23:00-04:00

A 17-year-old teenager from Kissimmee Florida, south of Orlando, was arrested June 30 for aiming a laser pointer at an Osceola County sheriff’s helicopter. The pilot said he was temporarily blinded by the light. Jasiel Medina-Quintana told deputies he was playing in his backyard and did not realize it was illegal to shine a laser at an aircraft. A neighbor interviewed by WKMG said the teen shouldn’t have been arrested: “I buy them [laser pointers] for my kids all the time.... ... Arrest every kid who has a laser pointer?” ...Medina-Quintana was booked into the Osceola County jail and was later released into his mother’s custody. This incident comes less than a month after another Orlando-area teen was arrested on June 7 for the same offense.

UK: Three young men arrested in east London for shining laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-26T23:05:10-04:00

Three young men were arrested June 25 2014 for aiming a laser pen at a Metropolitan Police helicopter flying over east London. Two of the suspects were 19 year old, the other was 20. They were arrested on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft. From the London Evening Standard

Russia: 757 airliner hit by green laser on landing in Siberian city

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-25T22:14:25-04:00

The pilots of a Boeing 757 were temporarily blinded by a green laser beam as they were descending towards an airport in Omsk, in southwestern Siberia. The aircraft had 226 passengers and 8 crew members. The beam appeared to come from a central street in Omsk, Russia’s seventh largest city by population. The plane landed safely with no injuries, and no disruption to airport operations. From the Moscow Times

US: Puerto Rico man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-23T23:08:46-04:00

Christopher Jusino Rodriguez of Ponce, Puerto Rico, was arrested for aiming green laser light from his apartment balcony at a police helicopter, impeding the vision of the crew, on June 19 2014. Jusino admitted the act to arresting officers, who retrieved a laser pointer from a trash can. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. From Yahoo News

US: Tampa man indicted for Feb. 2014 lasing of police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-18T16:25:56-04:00

A federal grand jury on June 17 2014 indicted Jeremy Wayne Sumpter, 29, on charges of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In February 2014, Sumpter was arrested after a police helicopter was hit by a green laser beam. He told the arresting officer that he was responsible. When the pilot arrived, wearing his flight suit, Sumpter asked him, “Were you the one in the helicopter?” From the Tampa Bay Times

US: Orlando-area teen arrested for aiming laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-09T12:37:13-04:00

On June 7 2014, a 19-year-old man from the north Orlando area was arrested on felony charges of pointing a laser light at a pilot, and culpable negligence. Trevor Ragno of Longwood, Fl. aimed a green laser light at a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter that was on patrol. Ground officers were directed to a home where Ragno was found and arrested. He was released on $1000 bond the next morning. ...Officials said there have been five incidents of lasers being pointed at pilots in Seminole County, all of which led to arrests. [The timespan of the five incidents -- during 2014 or all-time? -- was not indicated.] ClickOrlando.com has an online news story from WKMG-TV which includes video from the helicopter of the laser attack, and of a person running away from a home.

US: UPDATED - Tampa man arrested with laser pointer; marijuana also found

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-06T13:22:13-04:00

A Tampa-area man was charged with misuse of a laser lighting device, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia. On June 5 2014, a green laser was pointed at a Tampa police helicopter. The crew radioed the laser location to ground officers, who found Bradley Alan Steffes, 29, of Brandon, FL. He told officers he was playing with the laser and pointing it at random objects. A search of his pickup truck revealed a laser pointer and the drug items. The 18-county Tampa division of the FBI recorded 102 laser/aircraft incidents in 2013. ...UPDATED June 27 2014: Steffes was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 26 2014.

Canada: Medical helicopter lased twice over Ottawa

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-04T23:26:31-04:00

Transport Canada reported that an Ornge medical helicopter was struck twice by a green laser beam at about 2 am on May 30 2014, as it flew five km northeast of Ottawa airport. There were no reports of the laser’s effect immediately available. According to the Ottawa Citizen, “a similar 2009 lasing incident left an Ornge pilot with serious eye damage and grounded for several weeks after he was hit by a laser beam while flying at about 2,000 feet over the Gatineau Hills.” Statistics from Transport Canada list 461 reported laser incidents in 2013 -- an increase from the 357 reported in 2012. The Air Canada Pilots’ Association has asked for criminal penalties and more government control over laser devices. From the Ottawa Citizen

Russia: Commercial aircraft hit in two separate laser incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-04T23:22:15-04:00

Two commercial airliners were illuminated by laser beams as they flew over Russia in two separate incidents on May 31 2014. The crew of a Transaero Boeing 777-200 flying from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport to the Egyptian resort of Hurghada alerted air traffic controllers that someone in Maykop, in the Russian republic of Adygea (in Krasnodar) was shining a laser into the cockpit. "The unidentified person tried to blind the Transareo pilots for 20 seconds as they few over Maykop at 10:12 p.m. at an altitude of 11,000 meters," an official at the air traffic control center told Interfax. ...In the second incident, someone aimed a green laser beam into the cockpit of UTair ATR-72 turboprop as it approached the Nizhny Novgorod airport to land at 10:55 p.m.. ...But depending on the cabin configurations, the 777-200 can carry 300 to 440 passengers and the ATR-72 carries 68 to 74 passengers. Pilots have regularly complained about being targeted by laser pointers in Russia over the past year. No accidents have occurred, but the State Duma has approved in a first reading a bill that would toughen penalties for people convicted of pointing lasers at planes.

US: UPDATED - Guilty plea for Fresno man who aimed 50 times at CHP airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-04T00:49:04-04:00

A Fresno, California man who illuminated a California Highway Patrol plane up to 50 times pleaded guilty on June 3 2014. ...From the Fresno Bee and the April 10 2014 U.S. Attorney’s Office press release about the indictment of Fee and Zarate. UPDATED August 11 2014 - Zarate pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at a California Highway Patrol airplane. ... Fee pleaded guilty to the same offense in June and was scheduled to be sentenced August 25 2014. From an August 11 2014 U.S. Attorney’s Office press release about Zarate’s guilty plea. UPDATED September 29 2014 - Fee was sentenced to 18 months in prison, plus two years of supervised release. ...UPDATED November 3 2014 - Zarate was sentenced to one year in prison, plus two years of supervised release.

Scotland: Community service for ADHD man who lased police helicopter, 8 weeks before copter crashed into pub

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-06-02T11:27:48-04:00

In May, Jones pleaded guilty to violating the Civil Aviation Act. ...At sentencing, the judge told Jones: “I initially thought this could only be dealt with by a custodial sentence. However, I am satisfied it was not a deliberate attempt to cause harm. You have been publicly humiliated and have had to close your Facebook account due to the response you have had from strangers who have posted on it. You have suffered an appropriate level of guilt and shame.” Jones’ ADHD condition is being monitored and he is not considered to be a threat to public safety. From the Edinburgh Evening News, the Express, and a Wikipedia article about the crash

UK: NPAS arrests Skelmersdale man; says "lasers put lives at risk"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-30T11:24:05-04:00

On May 17 2014, a National Police Air Service helicopter in west Lancashire was searching for a car with cloned plates when it was struck by green laser light at about 12:45 am. Officers on the ground were directed to the source of the beam and arrested an unidentified Skelmersdale man. The laser’s light, as seen from the NPAS helicopter The NPAS chief superintendent said “Shining a laser pen at an aircraft not only puts the pilot and the crew in danger, but it can delay the helicopter which may result in serious injury or even the loss of life. ... We will deal robustly with anyone who uses lasers and puts lives at risk.... Such offences hold a potential five-year custodial sentence and/or a significant fine.... Real people’s lives are at risk.

US: UPDATED - Austin TX man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-30T10:52:04-04:00

Gabriel Soza Ruedas Jr. was arrested in late May 2014, on charges of aiming a laser pointer multiple times at an Austin, Texas police helicopter, as it was trying to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on February 15 2014. ...The 25-year-old faces up to five years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted. ...UPDATED - July 7 2014: Ruedas entered a guilty plea in Federal court in Austin. ... Ruedas faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. From SFGate, KEYE TV and the Austin American-Statesman. UPDATED - October 2 2014: Ruedas was sentenced to two years in prison, plus three years probation after his release. ...UPDATED - October 9 2014: Austin TV station FOX 7 obtained video from the AIR-1 helicopter, showing the Frbruary laser strike and the arrest.

South Africa: Laser aiming at aircraft is on the rise

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-28T13:46:27-04:00

The Citizen newspaper has a general description of how laser/aircraft incidents are increasing at King Shaka and Virginia airports in Durban, South Africa. A police representative quoted in the May 24 2014 story indicated that there have been several incidents in the past few years. He said “These green lasers which are readily available, inexpensive and extremely powerful have huge potential for damage. In my opinion there is no commercial application for them and people shouldn’t have them. It’s an offence under the Civil Aviation Act and if prosecuted individuals can face a fine and/or imprisonment up to 10 years.” Police are “clamping down on culprits” according to an airport spokesperson. From The Citizen

US: Two New Mexico men arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-23T10:44:35-04:00

Saavedra and Demone both pleaded not guilty to the charges. They face up to five years in federal prison, and up to $250,000 in fines if convicted. In 2013, there were 27 reports of lasers being aimed at aircraft near the Albuquerque International Sunport airport. According to an FBI press release, “This case was brought pursuant to a Laser Threat Awareness Pilot Program established by the FBI in collaboration with the Air Line Pilots Association International and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to raise awareness of aircraft laser illumination threats. The pilot program was initiated on February 11, 2014, in a dozen U.S. cities, including Albuquerque, that have reported numerous laser strikes in order to educate the public about the risks posed to aviation safety when laser devises with beams of concentrated energy are pointed at aircraft. It also seeks to raise awareness about the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which was signed into law on February 12, 2012, and established a new criminal law that prohibits the aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft that is in flight.” From KRQE.com. and the FBI Albuquerque Division

US: UPDATED -- Florida man "just being dumb" pleads guilty to aiming laser at jet and helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-22T17:00:58-04:00

A Palm Beach area man pleaded guilty May 21 2014 on federal charges of aiming a laser at a commercial jet. Michael Ryan Fischer could face up to five years in prison, but prosecutors said they will recommend no prison time for the 26-year-old from Wellington, Florida, in part because he has no prior criminal record. On December 30 2012, an AirTran pilot reported that a green light was in his cockpit as he flew about 10 miles west of Palm Beach International Airport. ...At that time, prosecutors said he could face a six-month sentence according to a story in the Sun Sentinel. It is not known why Fischer pleaded guilty on May 21 2014, although it may have been a plea bargain to further reduce his sentence. ...UPDATE -- July 31 2014: Fischer told LaserPointerSafety.com that he was sentenced July 29 in Fort Lauderdale, to two years probation and 50 hours of community service. ...His warning for others was “Don’t think you’re not going to get caught, because if you do it you’re going to get caught.”

Canada: Pilots, drivers report laser flashes near Calgary airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-15T10:32:12-04:00

A green laser was pointed at two commercial aircraft pilots at about 10:30 pm on May 13 2014. The laser came from the Signal Hill community of Calgary, located about 8 miles (13 km) from Calgary International Airport. A Calgary Police Service helicopter was dispatched but did not see the laser light. About one hour later, a driver reported being blinded by a light in the same area. Police asked anyone with information to call their Crime Stoppers line. From 660 News

US: UPDATED - Drunk NC man arrested for aiming laser at civilian helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-13T09:16:04-04:00

An intoxicated man aimed a laser at a civilian helicopter on May 5 2014, prompting the pilot to call 911 to have the man be arrested. Police said that 33-year-old Christopher Funk of Oak Island, North Carolina admitted pointing the laser at the helicopter and said he “was drunk last night and did not remember much except for shining a laser light around.” The pilot, flight instructor Jessica Ward, was teaching a student to land at Cape Fear Regional Jetport when the incident occurred. ... I can’t believe this is about to happen to us at this airport in this community, and sure enough, it did.” ...Funk had previously been convicted for offenses including felony larceny, possession of burglary tools, damage to property, violation of probation, and driving while impaired. ...UPDATED - May 11 2015: Funk pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...UPDATED - November 4 2015: Funk was sentenced in federal court to five years probation and 200 hours of community service.

US: California man pleads guilty to 6 months of lasing a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-12T23:34:26-04:00

On May 12 2014, Bakersfield Calif. resident Brett Lee Scott, 26, pleaded guilty to aiming laser pointers at a Kern County Sheriff helicopter over a six-month period. The lasers emitted powerful green and purple laser beams. As a result, the pilots of the Air-1 helicopter suffered flash blindness that lasted a few minutes, causing disorientation. The pilots were ultimately able to pinpoint the origin of the beams and, with the help of patrol deputies, identified Scott as a suspect. Sentencing for Scott is set for July 21 2014. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine From the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California

US: Two years in prison for 24-year-old girlfriend of Calif. man given 14-year sentence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-12T23:20:10-04:00

In the summer of 2012, a Fresno Police helicopter was repeatedly struck with a green laser beam, while investigating reports of earlier laser strikes on a the “Air George” medical helicopter. ... On March 10 2014, Sergio Patrick Rodriguez was sentenced to 14 years in prison. An analysis showed that eight years were imposed for the lasing and an additional six years were due to his prior criminal record. On May 12 2014, Jennifer Lorraine Coleman, 24, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. An FBI special agent said ““Coleman and Rodriguez demonstrated outrageous and willful disregard for the safety of aviators, Air George’s patients, and the public.” In imposing sentence, Judge Lawrence O’Neill considered the opinion of Dr. Leon McLin, a Senior Research Optometrist for the Air Force Research Laboratory who testified at trial, that the laser pointer that Coleman used was an instrument capable of inflicting serious bodily injury and, indirectly, death due to a high potential for crash caused by visual interference. Judge O'Neill found the high‑powered laser pointer was a dangerous weapon, and referring to the potential for a crash resulting from the pilots’ impaired vision stated, "I physically shudder to think of what could have happened."

US: UPDATED Two California men arrested for aiming laser at plane, 1 also charged with drug possession

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-05-06T10:10:25-04:00

Two men from Tehachapi, California (about 35 miles southeast of Bakersfield) were arrested May 5 2014 for aiming a laser at an aircraft. ...The evening before, a pilot was temporarily disoriented by a green laser at about 9:18 pm while landing at Tehachapi Airport. ... The plane landed again, and police went to get a warrant to search the residence. ...They found the laser device along with a half pound of methamphetamine worth $20,000, cash totaling $1,400, scales and drug paraphernalia, and an 8 mm Mauser rifle and ammunition. ...In addition, Mahler was charged with possession of controlled substance for sales, and maintaining a drug house. ...He was arrested again in April 2015 for possession of child pornography, found during a firearms compliance check. A search warrant was obtained and several items were seized to try and identify potential victims.

US: FBI searching for laser perpetrator after Delta pilot's vision "severely disrupted" on landing an NY LaGuardia Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-29T01:11:04-04:00

A pilot of a commercial aircraft suffered flashblindness and “severely disrupted” vision, after a green laser beam was aimed at a Delta airplane landing at LaGuardia Airport on the evening of March 25 2014. One news report said the pilot “continued to suffer pain in one eye afterward.” The FBI announced on March 28 that they were searching for suspects in the Queens Boulevard area of Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. The bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator. From the Associated Press via MassLive.com, and Queens Chronicle. This incident was widely reported as an injury to the pilot, in press headlines such as “FBI: Laser flashed at Delta cockpit injured pilot landing airplane at New York’s LaGuardia Airport”

UK: 5 months in prison -- suspended -- for aiming a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-19T12:23:59-04:00

A 26-year-old Bristol man was sentenced March 19 2014 to five months in prison, suspended for two years, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter. ...On January 20 2014, a National Police Air Service helicopter was at 1500 feet altitude, searching for a missing person. Gavin Hoskins was "playing" with the laser, aiming it first at rooftops and then aiming 3-4 times at the helicopter. He did not think the laser had the range to reach the aircraft, which broke off the search to track Hoskins. ...When arrested, Hoskins told police that the was sorry and had been "stupid" to use the laser pen, which was still in his pocket. ...His lawyer said “it was not a deliberate act to endanger the pilot of the helicopter.” The judge called Hoskin's actions "stupid and potentially extremely dangerous" and noted that a number of recent helicopter crashes have resulted in "destruction and death."

UK: Two East Sussex laser/aircraft illuminations lead to police warning

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-18T12:34:29-04:00

A helicopter and a commercial aircraft flying over the Crowborough area of East Sussex were illuminated by laser beams in two separate incidents. On March 15 2014, a helicopter flying at 6000 feet reported being targeted by a laser. The beam came from the London Road area, but the laser was not found. On March 18 2014, an Airbus reported being flashed by a laser, as the aircraft was heading into Gatwick airport. Police warned local residents that aiming a laser at an aircraft is a "considerable threat" as well as being illegal. From Crowboroughlife.com and the Kent and Sussex Courier. Thanks to Stephan Butler for bringing this to our attention.

US: Search for laser leads to arrests on drug and other charges

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-16T12:52:31-04:00

A search for the persons who aimed a laser at a sheriff's helicopter on March 8 2014 has led to the arrest of two Bakersfield (Calif.) men on drug and other charges. The arrests were announced March 16 2014 by a joint laser strike task force consisting of the FBI, Bakersfield police, and Kern County deputies. Timothy Wilson, 46, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and of narcotics paraphernalia, and resisting or delaying arrest. Patrick Florez, 45, was arrested on suspicion of stolen property and false license plate tabs. The strike force confiscated a stolen motorcycle, quantities of methamphetamine, and narcotics-related material, paraphernalia and a scale. No laser was found and the investigation is continuing. From the Bakersfield Californian

US: UPDATED - Ohio man charged with lying about his involvement in a laser/aircraft incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-15T12:57:08-04:00

A 57-year-old Toledo (Ohio) area man was charged with making a false statement with regard to a laser pointer incident that occurred on June 17 2012. Ronald E. Deal, Sr. told federal investigators that he did not know about the incident where a laser was aimed at an aircraft in Hancock County. He further falsely said he (Deal) pointed the laser when in fact he knew it was another person who did so. Authorities did not have any additional details about the charge, or about who actually pointed the laser at the aircraft. From the Toledo Blade UPDATED - August 28 2014: Deal was sentenced on August 25 2014 to one month in prison followed by two years of probation, for the charge fof making a false statement or representation to a department or agency of the United States. From the Toledo Blade

US: Analysis of Sergio Rodriguez's 14-year sentence for lasing Fresno police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-11T14:04:26-04:00

In addition, the government sought a “four-level dangerous weapon enhancement” because the 65 mW laser was “capable of inflicting death or serious bodily injury” due to creating distraction, glare, and afterimage for pilots, and also “significant ocular hazards.” ...Although the “resulting guideline range” should be 360 months to life, prosecutors told the judge that “the government does not object, however, to a below-guideline and recommended sentence of 168 months [14 years], as a reasonable sentence in this case.” ...He said that 57 months (4 3/4 years) would be sufficient “to reflect the seriousness of the offense because no one has ever gotten a greater sentence for pointing a laser at an aircraft. ...The government replied that they had proven “not only reckless disregard for the safety of human life but an attempt to willfully interfere with or disable” the police helicopter pilots. ...Prosecutors supported 168 months given “(a) the severity of the offense, use of a dangerous laser beam, and the tracking and striking of two separate aircraft, (b) the defendant’s significant criminal history, (c) his history of probation violations, (d) history and offense conduct involving reckless disregard of human life, (e) Bulldog gang affiliation, and (f) the fact that the guideline range based on the application of official victim and dangerous weapon enhancements trigger a guideline range of 360 months to life in prison.” They also noted that, even if the base offense level was dropped to Rodriguez’s suggested 18 (instead of 30), the guideline range would not be 57 months but would be 140-175 months. ...Finally, the government said that this is an “important deterrent message that could not be more timely” because “[i]t is only a matter of time before an aircraft crashes as the result of a laser strike.”

US: UPDATED - California man sentenced to 14 years for aiming 65 mW laser at Fresno police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-10T17:36:44-04:00

Rodriguez was found guilty on December 20 2013 of Attempted Interference with Persons Engaged in the Operation of an Aircraft, which carries a maximum 20-year prison term, and of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or the Flight Path of an Aircraft, which has a maximum 5-year penalty. ...UPDATED May 12 2014: Coleman was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiming a laser pointer at a law enforcement aircraft. ...NOTE 1: A 1 milliradian beam from a 5 milliwatt green laser pointer is an eye hazard from the laser up to 52 feet away, is a flashblindness hazard up to 245 feet away, is a glare hazard up to 1,097 feet, and is a distraction up to 10,966 feet. ...FRESNO, Calif. — Sergio Patrick Rodriguez, 26, of Clovis, Calif., was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for aiming a laser pointer at Fresno police helicopter Air 1, and attempting to interfere with its operation, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. ...Air 1 had responded to the apartment complex where Rodriguez and Coleman resided near the Fresno Yosemite International Airport to investigate the report of laser strikes on Air George, an emergency transport helicopter for Children’s Hospital of Central California. ...In addition, Dr. Leon McLin, a Senior Research Optometrist for the Air Force Research Laboratory who testified at trial, indicated at sentencing that the laser pointer that Rodriguez used was an instrument capable of inflicting serious bodily injury and, indirectly, death due to a high potential for crash caused by visual interference. ...“Rodriguez’s sentence clearly demonstrates the seriousness of his actions and that the FBI will work with its law enforcement partners to locate and arrest those who engage in dangerous, improper use of hand-held lasers that puts us all at risk.”

Ukraine: Video shows Russian soldier aiming laser at recon plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-09T13:42:07-04:00

A video released by Ukraine's press service shows a Russian soldier aiming a green laser at a Ukranian DA42 light surveillance plane. This was apparently done either for determining range, or to dazzle the pilots or the surveillance camera. The propeller plane was patrolling the northern part of Crimea when it was fired upon during daylight hours. A still frame from the video, showing the soldier outside a tent From The Aviationist

US: LA-area man charged with aiming laser pointer at sheriff's dept. helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-07T13:00:22-05:00

A Los Angeles-area man was charged on March 6 2014 with one count of aiming a laser pointer at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helicopter, a felony with a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. On November 17 2013, the helicopter was patrolling over the Boyle Heights area, which Wikipedia describes as a "working class, heavily Latino, youthful neighborhood of almost a hundred thousand residents east of Downtown Los Angeles." The aircraft was struck several times by a green laser beam that illuminated the cockpit. The source was tracked to a home where George Sam Elali, 31, was arrested on state charges. After an investigation by the FBI and the sheriff's department, the state charges were dropped and Elali was indicted February 14 2014 by a federal grand jury. From CBS Los Angeles

US: Woman arrested for pointing laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-05T12:56:24-05:00

A teenager aimed a green laser beam from a moving vehicle, towards a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s patrol helicopter on February 27 2014. She was arrested and could face up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine. Jenny Gutierrez, 19, was captured after the pilot followed Gutierrez to her home, and reported the location to sheriff’s deputies. From KABC

UK: Man charged with aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-03-04T12:49:43-05:00

A 36-year-old man was arrested for aiming a green laser at a Sussex Police helicopter at least two times on February 26 2014. Stephen Slark of Southwick was charged with shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. He will appear in court on April 1 2014. In addition, a 27-year-old companion was arrested but later released without charge. From The Argus

US: UPDATED - El Paso man faces federal charges of pointing a laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-22T09:06:54-05:00

Don Ray Dorsett, 28, was arrested February 21 2014 for aiming a laser at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter. The incident occurred January 4 2014. ... Dorsett was arrested in El Paso and was charged with a violation of 18 USC 39A, aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. From WOAI, Statesman.com and a press release from U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas UPDATED - July 31 2014: Dorsett was convicted by a federal jury. Sentencing was scheduled for October 2 2014. He could receive up to five years in federal prison.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-22T08:06:59-05:00

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. ...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. ...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. ...A news reported noted that one of the flight officers in a February 3 2014 incident experienced a severe headache.

US: UPDATED - Ohio man pleads not guilty to lasing news helicopter; judge orders him to stay away from lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-21T21:47:14-05:00

A judge has ordered Nicholas Vecchiarelli to stay away from lasers, after the Hubbard, Ohio man pleaded not guilty on February 21 2014 to obstructing official business, a charge that could result in up to eight years in prison. Vecchiarelli, 46, was accused of aiming a green laser pointer at a news helicopter that was covering a high school football game on October 11 2013. ... Police found Vecchiarelli in his driveway with a police scanner and a laser pointer. ...News reports at the time said he was arrested on a charge of interfering with a flight crew. ...UPDATED July 29 2014: Vecchiarelli pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with an aircraft, during a July 24 2014 hearing in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. ...UPDATED October 3 2014: Vecchiarelli was sentenced on October 2 2014 to probation for five years, has to do 200 hours of community service, must write an apology to his victims, has to pay a $1,000 fine, has an 11 pm curfew, and must stay out of liquor establishments. If he violates his probation, he could go to prison for eight years.

US: UPDATED - Tulsa man says he was not aware his laser was aimed at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-21T13:28:02-05:00

A Tulsa man arrested February 15 2014 says he was pointing a laser pointer at trees and a cellphone tower when a Tulsa Police Department helicopter began hovering in front of his house and then police, Homeland Security and the FBI knocked on his door. ...At first, I didn't know what was going on, then they told me what was going on and I first I denied it because I was nervous. It was 100 percent accident, not intentional, to hit an aircraft or put anybody else in danger.” ...The helicopter pilot said he was hit three or four times by the green laser light, and that he doesn’t believe it was an accident. Floyd’s case will go to a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict him on federal charges with a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. ...During the trial, Floyd said he was aiming at objects such as a cell tower, a mailbox and a tree, and he did not knowingly illuminate the helicopter. Just before a second trial in November, he made a plea agreement where he pleaded guilty; saying he “knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at the flight path of a helicopter that I was aware was flying nearby.”

UK: Nottingham area man fined £300 for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-19T10:13:41-05:00

A 22-year-old man was fined £300 on February 18 2014 for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter whose noise was bothering him. On January 26 2014, Craig Mather of Carlton (an eastern suburb of Nottingham) heard the helicopter and aimed a £20 laser pen at it. The pilot was distracted as he was attending a serious incident in Arnold, to the northwest of Carlton. ...Prosecutors said Mather told authorities that “the helicopter annoyed him, as it was always above his house, and wanted it to go away. He said he didn't know how far the laser went.” In court, Mather admitted to the charge of directing or shining a light at a police helicopter, so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. ... He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-17T14:45:22-05:00

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: Two years probation for Arizona man who aimed laser pointer at sheriff's plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-12T22:07:34-05:00

Tucson resident Jack Downey, 24, was sentenced on February 12 2014 to two years supervised probation in federal court for aiming a laser at a Pima County Sheriff’s plane. Downey and Daniel Pribula were suspected of aiming a green laser pointer at a commercial aircraft, on March 5 2013. The sheriff’s aircraft happened to be in the area. It went to investigate and was also hit by a laser, which was determined to be coming from Downey and Pribula’s location. An FBI special agent who worked on the case said "I know a couple pilots that do have permanent injuries related to laser incidents because the intensity of the laser and the affects it has on parts on the eye." From ABC15 and KVOA

UK: Police employee, 53, sentenced to two years community service, £3,500 in costs

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-02-04T13:47:00-05:00

A police community service officer (PCSO) was sentenced February 4 2014 to two years community service, and was ordered to pay £3,500 in costs, for pointing a green laser beam towards a police helicopter hovering above his home. ...As it hovered over Luton, a green laser beam dazzled the crew of three, leading to evasive action by the pilot. Officers on the ground traced the beam to 53-year-old James McIvor, a PCSO with British Transport Police. (A PCSO is a civilian member of police staff who is a uniformed non-warranted officer.) ...McIvor told officers he had been using a laser pen to attract his elderly cat that was on top of his garage. McIvor was convicted in December 2013 of acting in a negligent manner to endanger the safety of an aircraft. He was acquitted of a more serious charge of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

US: Dallas traffic reporter targeted by green laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-30T12:20:58-05:00

A traffic reporter for Dallas’ KRLD radio station was targeted by a green laser aimed into his plane. Randy Fuller said “All of a sudden it focused right on me, like near my eye.” He moved to avoid the beam, and the laser was then aimed at the face of pilot Colin Doney. No injuries were reported in the January 29 2014 incident. In a Dallas incident that occurred the previous week. the co-pilot of a medical helicopter was treated at a hospital after having his right eye “burned’ by a green laser. From CBSDFW

US: Calif. man who "can't help himself from doing stupid things" sentenced to 21 months for lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-28T16:14:19-05:00

“Shining a hand-held laser at an aircraft in flight is a serious, illegal act that puts both air crew and the public on the ground at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller of the Sacramento division of the FBI. ... Ignorance is no excuse for such reckless action and we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to locate and identify individuals who have total disregard for life and safety.” “The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit provides critical support to the public and to all law enforcement agencies in the region,” stated Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. ...The focused beams of a laser remain powerful at extended viewing distances and can expose pilots and their crew members and passengers to radiation levels above those considered to be flight safe. ... In 2013, there were 3,960 laser illumination incidents reported to the Federal Aviation Administration, an average of 10.85 strikes per day. Airports in the 34 counties of the Eastern District of California reported 94 laser strikes in 2013, or more than seven laser illumination incidents per month. ...This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clovis Police Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

UK: Jury finds man guilty of aiming at Blacon police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-25T00:26:22-05:00

On January 22 2014, a jury unanimously found a 28-year-old man guilty of “conduct likely to endanger life” for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter. The incident occurred in Blacon, an area in Chester (20 miles south of Liverpool) on August 11 2012. The helicopter was able to trace the laser beam back to a person in a garden, later identified as Richard James Brooks. Sentencing of Brooks was scheduled for February 12. From ChesterFirst

US: Phoenix man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-23T00:39:28-05:00

A 36-year-old man was arrested on January 21 2014 for aiming a green laser at a Phoenix police helicopter. After the helicopter was illuminated by the laser, the crew aimed a spotlight at a man standing alone on a hill. Over the P.A. system, the crew told the man to walk down the hill. He was detained by local security guards until police arrived. He was identified as Edward Bebec. A small, high-intensity handheld laser was found on the hill. Bebec was charged with two felony counts of endangerment.

US: Dallas medic in helicopter suffers eye injury from laser on ground

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-17T21:38:04-05:00

A paramedic on a medical helicopter suffered an apparently temporarily eye injury by a green laser beam coming from the ground at about 4:35 am on January 17 2014. ...Paul University Hospital in Dallas with a patient when a laser was aimed from the area of Interstate 35 and Harry Hines Boulevard. ...The patient, Pruitt, and the flight nurse rose in an ambulance to the hospital, a distance of about 2 miles. ...A Dallas Police Department incident report says Pruitt sustained “a burn to his right eye” and was “unable to see out of it.” A spokesman for his employer, Air Evac Lifeteam, said “Its my understanding he’s fine.” But Pruitt’s father said his son still cannot see out of his eye and has a headache: “We think his eye will be fine, but you never know until it heals. ...An FAA spokesperson said this was “the most significant injury we’ve seen in the DFW area.”

Wales: Suspended sentence for 8-minute lasing of police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-10T16:08:36-05:00

A 22-year-old man from Greenfield, Flintshire was given a suspended sentence on January 9 2014 for aiming a laser in a “persistent and prolonged laser attack” on a North Wales Police helicopter. ...The pilot was hovering at 1,200 feet over a densely populated area of Greenfield when a green laser beam targeted the aircraft. ... The majority hit the outside of the helicopter though a video recording showed the interior illuminated for a couple of seconds. ...While the helicopter maneuvered to avoid the laser, the missing-person search was not abandoned. ...The three-man crew identified the source location and directed ground officers to the home of Kevin Mark Griffiths. ...Griffiths said it was a “foolish, impulsive and reckless action,” aiming at what he knew was a police helicopter. ...He was given a five-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, and was fined £165 in costs.

UK: Two Manchester-area teens arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-06T10:03:26-05:00

Two teenagers, 14 and 17, were arrested for endangering the safety of an aircraft on December 21 2013, by aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter. The teens were from Wigan, a town in greater Manchester. They were released on bail until February 19 2014. From Wigan Today

US: UPDATED - Florida teen sorry he aimed laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-03T10:40:48-05:00

A Florida teenager did not realize the hazard, when he used a green laser pointer to track a Volusia County sheriff’s helicopter less than an hour into the new year on January 1 2014. ...In a statement emailed to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Decker said he was sorry and did not realize that what he was doing was dangerous. He said a neighbor tried to warn him it was a crime but he did not hear the man due to New Year’s celebratory firecrackers going off in his neighborhood of Holly Hill, a few miles north of Daytona Beach. Decker wrote, “I just got that new laser and wanted to see how far the light would go. ...His mother, a News-Journal employee, told the paper “I think it’s pretty clear he didn’t understand the severity of the situation.” ...Decker will pay a fine, do community service, and apologize in writing to the helicopter pilot. ... This young man had no idea what he was doing and just wanted to see how far the light would go.”

Australia: Perth-area man questioned for aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2014-01-01T10:52:31-05:00

A 29-year-old man from the Perth-area suburb of Seville Grove, was questioned by police for repeatedly aiming a green laser pointer at a police helicopter early in the evening of December 31 2013. The helicopter crew led ground officers to the man’s home. He will be summonsed for causing fear with a laser or light to people in conveyances. From the West Australian

US: Florida man arrested for aiming a laser at a commercial aircraft and police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-31T10:58:02-05:00

A 51-year-old Florida man was charged with misuse of laser lighting devices, a third-degree felony, for aiming a laser at a commercial aircraft and at a police helicopter. On December 28 2013, an aircraft landing at Southwest Florida International Airport, in South Fort Myers on the west coast of Florida, reported a laser incident. A Lee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was sent to investigate. It was illuminated by a laser from a residence in Cape Coral, Fl. Ground officers found Stephen Clyde Plock, 51, and two children at the residence. Plock initially denied knowledge of the laser but eventually admitted that he saw the plane and helicopter and aimed the laser into the sky. ...From WINK News and NBC News

UK: Strood teen arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-23T11:23:46-05:00

A 17-year-old from Strood, near Kent, was arrested December 21 2013 on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft. A police helicopter was looking into a burglary when it was struck by a laser beam at about 11:30 pm. The teen was located on Rochester High Street and was arrested. He is out on bail until January 17 2014. From Kent Online

UK: Pilot relates trying to land airplane in bad weather plus a laser strike

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-21T16:29:22-05:00

A commercial airline pilot told of his experience with a laser pen attack just as he was preparing to land in “atrocious” weather on December 18 2013. ...The weather was atrocious, with strong turbulence and crosswinds outside of the legal limits for my first officer. The aircraft was being battered by the gales and the landing conditions at the airport at the very margins required total concentration from the flight crews, and in particular, myself as the captain landing the aircraft with a large number of passengers inbound from the Mediterranean.” ...“My left eye was left sore and blurred but, mercifully, weather conditions eased and the landing was uneventful. On this occasion it was just a major distraction on a very difficult night when all my efforts should have been on getting the aircraft safely down. “Had the attack happened minutes later, both eyes would have been affected and my co-pilot would have had to face the prospect of landing outside his limits, or diverting. The miscreant must have been very aware of the conditions and its only aim was to bring down the aircraft and its occupants.”

US: UPDATED - Two Calif. residents convicted of aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-20T14:38:40-05:00

The interference charge has a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. ...This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Clovis and Fresno Police Departments, Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce. ...UPDATED March 10 2014: Rodriguez was sentenced to 14 years in prison, on the charge of interfering with an aircrew. ...UPDATED June 24 2015: Rodriguez’s 14-year sentence for reckless endangerment was overturned by an appeals court, saying there was no evidence that he had harmful intent as required by the law. Note from LaserPointerSafety.com: Assuming the article meant the laser was 13 times more powerful than the permissible power emission level for laser pointers, then the laser would have been 65 milliwatts. (The maximum for lasers marketed as “pointers” in the U.S. is 4.99 mW; there is no maximum for hand-held laser devices which are not marketed as pointers.) For a standard divergence of 1 milliradian, a 65 mW laser has the following hazard distances: It can be a nominal eye hazard up to 190 feet from the laser, causes flashblindness up to 890 feet away, causes interfering glare up to 4,000 feet away, and is a distraction up to 39,600 feet (7.5 miles) away.

US: Laser beams aimed at three airplanes landing in Fort Wayne

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-20T09:20:41-05:00

Two pilots landing planes at Fort Wayne (Indiana) International Airport reported that a green laser was aimed at their aircraft on December 18 2013. A Fort Wayne police officer later reported seeing another green beam, presumably from the same laser, pointed at a third plane. The first pilot said the green laser was large and was concentrated on his aircraft for a prolonged period of time. A ground officer was sent to the area where the laser was reported to have been sighted. ... The officer then saw a green beam target a third plane, for about five seconds. He could not pinpoint the exact location, and the beam did not reappear. The FAA was notified and the case is being investigated.

US: One JetBlue pilot has migraines, short-term damage from Palm Beach laser exposure

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-14T02:30:44-05:00

On December 9 2013, a JetBlue airliner was lased as it came in to land at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. Both pilots were exposed to laser light. Two days later, one of the pilots’ doctor said the aviator is experiencing migraines and “short-term damage” and has been forced to take the week off. Dr. Marc Brockman of the Florida Vision Institute said there will not be long-term damage. He noted that “If this were an industrial laser, it only takes a split second [to do damage]. The doctor also said the laser perpetrator’s aim does not have to be accurate because the eye is naturally drawn to bright lights. From WPTV.com

US: Sacramento man arrested for aiming laser pointer at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-14T00:33:21-05:00

A 20-year-old man was arrested December 8 2013 on a felony charge of discharging a laser at a Sacramento Police Department helicopter. At around 10:40 that evening, the pilot said the aircraft was “getting a laser hit” from the ground. The laser’s path easily led back to the backyard of a home. Ground officers said Justin James Nesbitt told them he wanted to see if the laser could hit the aircraft. Nesbitt’s bail was set at $75,000. Justin James Nesbitt From CBS Sacramento

Malta: UPDATED - Amateur astronomer admits aiming laser at aircraft; says it could not have caused a problem

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-12T00:44:50-05:00

A member of the Malta Astronomical Society admitted in court that an aircraft crossed into his laser beam while he was pointing out planets to his young nephew. David Camilleri testified on December 11 2013 that he did not turn off the beam during the June 16 2013 incident. Taking the stand in his own defense, he told the court that the AirMalta light would have hit the side or tail, but not the cockpit, based on the aircraft’s flight path. He sad that as the son of a retired air traffic controller, he was aware of traffic and flight paths. In addition, the laser’s range was stated in a brochure as 3 km, while the aircraft was 9 km away from Camilleri’s position. The prosecution noted that the brochure warned against aiming at aircraft as it could disrupt the flight and was illegal. The prosecutor objected to Camilleri as he was not an expert but was expressing “mere opinion”.

US: West Palm Beach FL man calls police to report he may have lased JetBlue flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-12T00:04:20-05:00

After hearing news reports of a JetBlue airline pilot who was temporarily blinded by a laser beam when on approach to Palm Beach International Airport, a local man called CrimeStoppers to report that he may have inadvertently lased the airliner. Jacob Finch of West Palm Beach, Florida, told TV news stations that he was using a green laser pointer to exercise his dog. He said “I guess the laser got over that fence and shot out.” Finch lives in the path of the airport, and was using the laser at about the same time as the reported incident, around 7 pm on December 9 2013. ...Finch indicated he had no idea of the danger and would not do it again: “Oh my gosh, this possibly hurt somebody? ...As of December 14, there were no news reports indicating any arrests or other progress in the case from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. From WPTV.com, WWLP.com and WFLX.com

US: UPDATED - News reports quote helicopter pilot who suffered two burned corneas from 1995 laser exposure

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-10T18:06:58-05:00

During a December 10 2013 ABC News report about a JetBlue airliner being lased in Palm Beach, a helicopter pilot interviewed said he had two burned corneas from a laser attack. ...Reporter Jim Avila: “We also spoke to helicopter pilot Steve Robertson who suffered two burned corneas from a laser attack.” ...Glendale Police Sgt. Steve Robertson is all too familiar with the consequences of pointing a laser at a helicopter. ..."It immediately [lit] up the whole cockpit and it hit both of my eyes and burned both of my corneas," says the veteran pilot. ...But since that incident back in the mid '90s, Robertson says he and his fellow police pilots in Glendale have been targeted dozens of times by people shining cheap, easy-to-buy lasers. ...Not quoted above is a Feb. 2013 ABC News story; it may have used the same interview clip as the Dec. 2013 ABC News story. UPDATED JUNE 20 2014: Another story referencing Robertson’s claim of two burned corneas is from CBS Los Angeles on June 19 2014.

US: UPDATED - JetBlue pilots manage to land after Palm Beach Fl. laser in cockpit

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-10T17:50:23-05:00

They said this is the third time since Nov. 29 that someone has aimed a laser at an airplane, at PBIA. The FAA said there have been 3434 laser incidents in the U.S. from Jan. 1 to Nov. 15 2013. ...UPDATED, December 11, 2013: One pilot’s doctor said the aviator is experiencing migraines and “short-term damage” and has been forced to take the week off. ... He noted that “If this were an industrial laser, it only takes a split second [to do damage]. The doctor also said the laser perpetrator’s aim does not have to be accurate because the eye is naturally drawn to bright lights. ...UPDATED, December 12 2013: A local man called police and said he may have inadvertently lased the JetBlue aircraft while playing with his dog. He told TV news that he did not know of the laser’s potential effects on pilots, and he would not do it again.

UK: London man arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-03T09:50:15-05:00

A 46-year-old man from southeast London was arrested December 3 2013 for shining a laser pen at a Metropolitan police helicopter. The crew was able to use video equipment to trace the source of the laser, to a home in St. Paul’s Cray. The man was arrested and admitted using the laser. He was given a police caution for endangering the safety of an aircraft. From The Guardian

Scotland: UPDATED - Investigators "not ruling out" laser in Glasgow pub helicopter crash

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-02T09:58:10-05:00

Lasers are being considered as a possible factor in the November 29 2013 fatal crash of a police helicopter into the Clutha pub in Glasgow, Scotland. The Daily Mail reports that “investigators refused to rule out foul play as they examined possible causes of the crash, including whether the pilot was shot at or blinded by a ‘laser pen’.” While early reports indicated there may have been an engine malfunction, the paper wrote “... there were also fears the horrific accident could have been caused by a powerful green laser beam from a pen-like device shone into the eyes of the pilot – or even a firearm. ...No witnesses or other evidence have thus far emerged to implicate the aiming of lasers at the aircraft as a contributing factor. ...LaserPointerSafety.com has a selected list of laser/aircraft incidents in Scotland and in the U.K. Additional incidents, in other countries and sorted by various keywords, can be found by clicking the blue category and tag links in the News Index section on the left-hand side of the white part of this page. UPDATED - December 3 2013: An article in the Scotsman, speculating on causes of the crash, includes this quote: “Charles Newport, consultant for Aviation Network Associates, said: ‘Quite possibly it could be pilot error, that’s the only other factor I can think of. ...UPDATED - June 2 2014: An Edinburgh man was sentenced to 240 hours of community service for aiming his green laser pen at the police helicopter on October 1 2013.

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-12-02T08:14:15-05:00

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. ...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.”

Scotland: Nine aircraft targeted by lasers in one night at Glasgow Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-28T10:38:11-05:00

Nine aircraft were targeted by laser pens while landing at Glasgow Airport on November 25 2013. The incidents happened between 6 and 10 pm local time. In some cases, lasers were shone directly in pilots’ eyes. Police said they believe all but one of the lasers were aimed from the Duntocher, Drumchapel or Knightswood areas north/northeast of Glasgow Airport. Police called this “extremely dangerous, not to mention stupid and reckless.” They are asking anyone with information to contact them on the non-emergency phone number 101. From the Evening Times and Herald Scotland

US: Coast Guard helicopter near Honolulu struck by laser during search

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-28T10:29:08-05:00

A Coast Guard helicopter on a search mission was illuminated by a laser on November 23 2013, while off the coast of Waimanalo Bay near Honolulu. The green beam swept the aircraft and one crew member was directly struck. The crew was able to continue the mission. The perpetrator was not located. This was the fifth lasing thus far in 2013 for aircraft stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point. From KITV

UK: Man arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter over Trowbridge

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-28T10:21:50-05:00

A 30-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser pen at a Wiltshire air ambulance flying over Trowbridge on November 22 2013. The helicopter crew was on a training exercise so it was able to turn around and identify the laser’s location. Ground officers arrested the unnamed man. He was charged with endangering an aircraft. From the Bath Chronicle and This Is Wiltshire

Australia: NSW man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-25T10:53:25-05:00

A 23-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser pointer at the New South Wales police helicopter Polair on November 23 2013. The helicopter crew had been called to assist with a police operation at a party in Cabramatta, a suburb about 30 miles from Sydney, when about 11pm, the pilot reported a laser beam was being directed at the aircraft. Polair was able to direct Cabramatta police to a unit block in Lansdowne Road, Canley Vale, where they arrested the man and seized a laser pointer. The man, from Canley Vale, was taken to Cabramatta Police Station where he was charged with use prohibited weapon and act to threaten safety of an aircraft. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court on 18 December 2013. From a New South Wales Police Force press release

UK: Barrister expelled for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-13T14:44:36-05:00

A 27-year-old man was expelled as a barrister, for offences that included pointing a laser pen at a West Midlands Police helicopter in August 2011. Mohammed Arif Riaz pleaded guilty to aiming at the aircraft. In June 2013 he was sentenced to eight months in prison, in Birmingham Crown Court. The Bar Standards Board, acting on November 13 2013, also found Riaz had failed to declare criminal convictions that occurred in 2004. The Board said he acted with “astonishing recklessness” and “conduct discreditable to a barrister.” From the Express and Star

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-09T12:36:25-05:00

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. ... 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. ...Rademacher also lost his job as a maintenance man due to his arrest and plea.

US: Drifting diver rescued by aiming laser at searching helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-11-02T12:58:13-04:00

A deep sea diver whose safety line broke and who was drifting out to sea, was rescued November 1 2013 when he aimed a green laser at a helicopter that was searching for him. ...Tubbs later said, “When it got dark I think they finally realized they saw the beam of the laser way off in the distance and [I] took care not shine it in their eyes or anything, but in their direction and it reflects off the moisture in the air, so it makes a pretty big beam.” ...Coast Guard Lt. Chris McAndrew said “With how dark it was last night, it would have been impossible to see him unless we were right on top of him, knew exactly where he was. ...To hurt those who are saving other people's lives with a by shining a laser at them is very serious and could have cost me my life. ...“The Coast Guard pilot who saved my life reported to me that the green laser and/or any LED light is not seen with their night vision goggles. ...Even so because night vision goggles do not see LED light I would suggest a nice expensive strobe and very bright flashlight (not LED) too or flares as the main signal device in addition to the laser. ...Also shining the laser right into their eyes could blind the ones you need to rescue you so be very careful if you do use one to get help.

US: Texas police helicopter returns to scene of lasing, gets lased again; teen arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-26T12:17:57-04:00

On October 23 2013, a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter saw a laser beam targeting the aircraft as it flew near Odessa. Officers on the ground did not find him, so the next night, the helicopter flew over the same area at the same time. ...Officers on the ground found a teenage suspect who admitted pointing the laser at the helicopter. They arrested Joey Martin, 19, and charged him with illumination of aircraft by intense light. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: This is the second story in October 2013 where law enforcement flew special helicopter missions to draw out a laser perpetrator. The other case involved a complex, multi-agency supervision of a suspect in Portland, Oregon. ... But it may also indicate that law enforcement is becoming more proactive and determined to locate and arrest perpetrators.

US: UPDATED - Portland man indicted on 2 federal charges of aiming at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-22T01:07:44-04:00

PORTLAND, OR—Stephen Francis Bukucs, 39, a resident of Northeast Portland, was arrested in Portland on Friday evening, October 18, 2013, on charges of aiming a laser pointer at two aircraft. A federal indictment unsealed this morning by the court alleges Bukucs aimed a laser pointer at United Airlines Flight 1406 and JetBlue Flight 1205 in Portland on October 13, 2013. Bukucs is being held in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center and will have his first court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis M. Hubel for arraignment on the indictment. ...PORTLAND, OR—Stephen Francis Bukucs, 41, of Portland, was sentenced to six months in federal prison yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael W. ...On July 15, 2014, Bukucs pleaded guilty to aiming his green laser device at United Airlines Flight 1406 and Jet Blue Flight 1205 as they flew over his apartment in Northeast Portland on October 13, 2013. ... Bukucs confessed to the FBI that, over several months, he had targeted up to 25 aircraft and that he did so for entertainment and as a “cat-and-mouse” game with the police who pursued him. ...The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Port of Portland Police and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

US: Two California teens arrested for lasing CHP airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-22T01:00:48-04:00

Two teenagers from Roseville, California (about 15 miles northeast of Sacramento) were arrested on October 19 2013 for aiming a laser at a California Highway Patrol airplane. Brian Levenstein, 18, and an unnamed male, 14, were charged. They may face additional felony charges. Brian Levenstein At about 10 pm, the Roseville Police received reports of a green laser being aimed at vehicles. As officers were responding, the CHP reported a laser pointed at them. From the Celebrity Examiner

US: FBI terrorism unit called in to find lasers aimed at New York-area aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-19T17:22:50-04:00

A spate of recent laser incidents targeting aircraft and pilots are increasing in frequency in the New York area. In the same period year–to-date, reports of lasers directed at aircraft are up 17 percent. ...The first, at 7:35 p.m., involved Shuttle America flight 5973, when the aircraft cockpit was illuminated by a green laser on the final approach to La Guardia Airport. ... The crew reported the laser beam originated about a half-mile west of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. ...A private aircraft reported a green laser two miles southwest of La Guardia Airport while heading eastbound over the Triborough Bridge. ...“The FBI is asking anyone with information about any of these dangerous laser incidents to pick up the phone and call us,” said Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos. ...A reward is available for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of anyone involved in these incidents.

US: UPDATED - Ohio man arrested for aiming a laser at a news helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-18T01:18:34-04:00

A man was arrested for aiming a laser at a news helicopter that was filming an October 11 2013 football game at Hubbard (Ohio) High School. ... He was able to direct police to the laser location, about 1 mile southeast of the stadium. ...The unnamed man was charged on October 17 2013 with interfering with a flight crew, which is a second-degree felony. ...UPDATED February 20 2014: The man, Nicholas Vecchiarelli, pleaded not guilty to obstructing official business. (News accounts did not say what happened to the charge of interfering with a flight crew.) ...UPDATED July 29 2014: Vecchiarelli pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with an aircraft, during a July 24 2014 hearing in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. ...UPDATED October 3 2014: Vecchiarelli was sentenced on October 2 2014 to probation for five years, has to do 200 hours of community service, must write an apology to his victims, has to pay a $1,000 fine, has an 11 pm curfew, and must stay out of liquor establishments.

US: Oregon man, 46, arrested for lasing Coast Guard boat and helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-16T15:26:40-04:00

A 46-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser from his car, towards a Coast Guard motor lifeboat and helicopter that were conducting training exercises in Depoe Bay, Oregon on October 16 2013. The Coast Guard crew who were exposed were prevented from returning to duty until after being medically examined. ...He was charged with violating a restraining order, menacing, and disorderly conduct. ... The case was referred to the Coast Guard Investigative Service, which is looking into possible federal charges. Depoe Bay is on the Oregon coast, about 80 miles southwest of Portland. It promotes its six-acre harbor as the “world’s smallest”, according to its Wikipedia entry. From the Statesman Journal and a news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office

US: Texas woman arrested for aiming laser at a Border Patrol helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-07T17:57:53-04:00

A 20-year-old woman was arrested for shining a laser at a Border Patrol helicopter in Brownsville, Texas, around October 7 2013. Yesenia Lisabeth Diaz Police had received an emergency call stating that someone was pointing a laser directly at an aircraft. Brownsville police went to the address and found Yesenia Lisabeth Diaz, who admitted that she aimed at the helicopter but “did not think that it would reach that far.” She was arrested and charged with a Class C misdemeanor. From ValleyCentral.com

Ireland: Belfast man's laser could have caused "catastrophic and fatal" helicopter crash at 2011 MTV European Music Awards, judge rules

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-07T17:41:45-04:00

A Crown Court judge sentenced a 28-year-old Belfast man to eight-months in jail, suspended for two years, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter as it flew over the site of the MTV European Music Awards on November 6 2011. The helicopter had been patrolling the crowd outside Odyssey Arena when Aaron McCrory aimed his laser pen at the aircraft. ... When questioned, McCrory first blamed children for aiming the laser, then admitted he had done it but handed over a different laser from the one used to hit the aircraft. McCrory’s defense lawyer said the act was not done deliberately or out of animosity, but he was “messing about and that was reckless.” At sentencing on October 7 2013, Judge Geoffrey Miller QC said McCrory was “foolish and unthinking…. If the pilot had been blinded, even momentarily, the result for all onboard could have been catastrophic and fatal, and given where the aircraft was, the consequences for those on the ground, you must appreciate, could have been unimaginable in its severity.” Performers inside the Odyssey Arena included Coldplay, LMFAO, Bruno Mars, Jessie J, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Snow Patrol, Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Adam Lambert, and Queen.

Australia: Two Melbourne men charged for aiming laser from car at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-06T14:48:08-04:00

Four men were arrested for aiming a laser beam from a moving car, at a police helicopter in Melbourne on October 5 2013. A 20-year-old man from Preston was charged with interfering with conduct endangering life and possessing a prohibited weapon. An 18-year-old man from Coburg will be charged on summons with possessing a prohibited weapon. The other two men were released without charges. From ABC News

Malta: "Semi-pro" astronomer argues in court that laser pointing is not hazardous

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-10-04T12:26:24-04:00

A 48-year-old Malta man is accused of hitting an airplane cockpit five times with a laser beam as it was landing. The pilot reported that he looked directly at the beam which caused a dark spot in his vision, lasting about 10 minutes. The first officer described how the cockpit lit up in green from the beam. In court in early October, David Camilleri of Rabat was described as a “semi-professional astronomer” who was aiming at stars. ... He argued that if lasers were capable of bringing down aircraft, terrorists would use them to cause crashes. He also noted that footballer Lionel Messi was able to score despite having 10 lasers pointed at him during a match. The trial is ongoing as of October 4 2013, so the outcome is not yet known.

Australia: Adelaide-area man arrested for aiming laser at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-30T18:37:04-04:00

A 28-year-old man was arrested September 28 2013 after he aimed a laser pointer at a police helicopter which was conducting a search in Evanston, SA (about 22 miles north of Adelaide). The man’s location was made known to ground officers, who found and arrested the perpetrator. He was charged with endangering safety of an aircraft and possessing a prohibited weapon. From the Herald-Sun and Sky News

US: UPDATED - 18 months in prison for Texas man who lased helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-26T11:44:11-04:00

On September 25 2013, Magarito Tristan III was sentenced to 18 months in prison, plus an additional two years of supervised release following his term, for aiming a laser pointer at a Customs and Border Patrol helicopter. The 28-year-old from Donna, Texas, had previously pleaded guilty in July 2013 to one felony count of aiming a laser at an aircraft. ...In a statement to the court, he wrote: “My first thought was that we would soon hear and feel the impact of bullets hitting the helicopter. At our altitude we had no way of knowing it was a laser pointer, not a weapon…. Why someone would choose to target any aircraft, much less one performing critical work for the public is beyond my understanding.” ...An press release about the sentence, issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas on September 25 2013, is here. The original LaserPointerSafety.com report of the March 7 2013 incident is here.

US: UPDATED - Man arrested in San Diego, police helicopter pilot is "recovering"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-18T14:08:57-04:00

A 25-year-old man was arrested for repeatedly shining a red laser at a San Diego Police Helicopter at about 10:30 pm on September 17 2013. The pilot was temporarily blinded and was reported to be “recovering” after the incident. He was able to inform ground officers of the suspect’s location. ...UPDATED September 19 2013: The man arrested was identified as Abel Becerril. A news story from ABC 10 includes video from the ABLE helicopter. There were two men in a parking lot, who hit the helicopter more than seven times. ... According to San Diego police, laserings of their helicopter happen “several times a week.”

Germany: Teen on Berlin roof lases three aircraft; is released to parents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-17T10:31:14-04:00

Three Air Berlin aircraft were hit by a laser beam while landing at Berlin Tegel Airport on September 8 2013. ... A helicopter located the source, a 14-year-old boy on a rooftop about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the airport. It is unclear whether the laser was also aimed at the helicopter. ...His laser pointer was confiscated and he was handed over to his parents. He faces an investigation for “a serious intervention into the air.” An airport spokesperson said that there were 27 laser incidents in Berlin during 2012, and 261 in all of Germany. From BZ-Berlin (original German text and Google-translated English text) and T-Online (original German text and Google-translated English text)

Canada: Two Edmonton incidents highlight increased aiming at police

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-12T11:34:19-04:00

Police in Edmonton held a news conference to discuss the increasing risk to their flight operations. ... This compares with 9 incidents in all of 2012, and 4 incidents in 2011. ... • On September 6 2013, the city police Air-1 helicopter was repeatedly hit by a laser in the west Edmonton area. Two teens were arrested, a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old female; charges are pending. • On September 7 2013, multiple arrests were made after Air-1 was hit for several minutes in north Edmonton. Three males, aged 18, 19 and 20, were charged with assault with a weapon, possession of an offensive weapon, endangering the safety of an aircraft in flight, and creating a hazard to aviation safety. During the press event, police said that users ignore warnings that come with lasers, that they often don’t realize or understand the hazard, that a ban on lasers is not the answer, and that their pilots do fly with laser protective eyewear.

US: 21-year-old arrested in Phoenix; says he didn't know pointing lasers at aircraft is illegal

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-11T23:48:58-04:00

Antonio Rodriguez, 21, was arrested on two counts of endangerment for illuminating a Phoenix Police helicopter on September 10 2013. The aircraft was patrolling when it was hit by a green laser beam. The beam was traced back to an apartment complex where ground units found Rodriguez. He apologized and said he did not know it was illegal to point a laser at the helicopter. Antonio Rodriguez From MyFoxPhoenix.com

US: UPDATED - Passenger onboard aircraft arrested for burning holes in seat with homemade laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-11T10:35:02-04:00

On September 5 2013, a passenger onboard a Sun Country Airlines flight from Minneapolis to Seattle used two small, homemade lasers to burn several small holes in fabric near his seat. ...Fifteen minutes later, the 105 passengers and five crew members on the Boeing 737 landed in Spokane. Emergency services came on board and did not find any fire, heat or smoke but did find the burn holes. Alex Philip Langloys Miller of Minneapolis was arrested by FBI agents and was charged with willful damage to an aircraft. ...The smoke was first smelled by a passenger who had previously worked as a flight attendant. ... In looking for the source, they saw “a small bright blue light for a moment under one of the seats.” ... After landing, a “greeting committee of police, airline officials and the FBI” found burn holes in the seat in front of the suspicious passenger, and found two lasers in the bathroom trash.

US: California man arrested for shining red laser at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-10T19:06:08-04:00

A 22-year-old was arrested in Hemet, California (in the San Jacinto Valley) for suspicion of aiming a laser at a Riverside County sheriff’s helicopter. On September 8 2013, at around 9 pm, a red laser was aimed repeatedly at the helicopter. Hemet police officers found Mariano Angel Godinez at his home where he admitted the laser illumination. In addition to the laser charge, Godinez was also arrested for drug possession and for disobeying a court order. Bail was set at $25,000. Mariano Angel Godinez From PE Bloggers

US: UPDATED - Jail and probation for Kentucky man who pointed laser gunsight at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-10T18:39:48-04:00

Steven French, 50, pleaded guilty on September 4 2013 to second-degree wanton endangerment. On August 24 2013, while working as a security guard, French aimed a green laser attached to his 9mm pistol at a police helicopter. He had told police he did this because he was bored and pointed the laser on his gun at the helicopter to test its range. ...The Lexington, Kentucky man was sentenced to 12 months in jail; 30 days will be served while the remaining 11 months will be probated for two years. He is also required to complete 100 hours of community service, and to forfeit his gun and laser. French avoided federal criminal prosecution (with a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison and up to $250,000 fine) by pleading guilty in state court. ...The original LaserPointerSafety.com story of his August 13 2013 arrest is here.

Australia: Perth-area man hampers search by aiming laser twice at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-08T11:21:24-04:00

A search for a missing elderly person in a Perth suburb was disrupted when a police helicopter was twice hit by a laser pointer beam. At about 6:50 pm on September 6 2013, the aircraft was helping in the search when it was hit the first time. It left to do a different task, and came back about 40 minutes later. ...At the same time, several commercial aircraft in the same area reported being hit. The helicopter directed ground officers to a property in Koondoola. They seized a laser pointer and charged a 36-year-old man with causing fear with laser or light to people in conveyances. From 7 News and the Herald Sun

UK: £250 fine for aiming laser pen at helicopter with police on board

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-06T00:26:44-04:00

On August 17 2013, a commercial pilot was flying over Ryhope (south of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear) with two Northumbria police officers on board when the pilot saw a flickering effect in his peripheral vision. ... The pilot told the court that if he had not taken evasive action, he could have had permanently impaired vision and it would have been difficult to read the instruments. ...Brace's lawyer explained how the laser was procured and misused: “Mr Brace had been on holiday to Egypt, and had attended a stargazing night where laser pens were used to identify different constellations. He purchased one of these thinking he could show his friends when he got home. On the night in question, he and his brother were in the house. They heard a noise outside, and the defendant said if you follow the light I’ll show you where it is, not realising the net effect it would have on the people inside. ... There was no malicious intent to what he now knows was a stupid act.”

Australia: $10,000 fine after Woodvale man aims laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-05T23:44:10-04:00

Christopher Manning, 40, was fined AUS $10,000 (USD $9,140) on September 4 2013, for causing fear with a laser or light. On August 3 2013, a police helicopter was conducting a search in the Perth suburb of Woodvale when it was hit a number of times by a bright green laser light. The pilot had “immediate distress” and took evasive action. Ground officers arrested Manning at his home in Woodvale, and seized the laser. He was later found guilty in Joondalup magistrates court. From WAtoday.com.au: Original Aug 3 incident; Sept 5 fine

US: Four arrests in Phoenix for lasing of helicopter using laser gunsight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-04T00:04:02-04:00

Four persons were arrested in Phoenix on September 1 2013, for aiming the red beam from a .45 caliber handgun’s laser aiming sight at a police helicopter. The vision of the pilot and observer was temporarily blocked. Ground officers found the four in a midtown apartment complex. Two men, Peter Ospitale, 28, and Paul Word, 31, were arrested for investigation of endangerment. Two women, Mary Grace and Marci Gomez, both 28, were arrested for investigation of obstructing government operations. L-R: Peter Ospitale, Paul Word ...L-R: Mary Grace, Marci Gomez

US: UPDATED - Man previously arrested in Virginia laser incident dies in car crash

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-09-03T01:56:43-04:00

A 20-year-old Virginia man who had been arrested July 27 2013 for aiming a laser at a state police aircraft, died September 2 2013 in a car crash. Matthew L. Farr was driving a 2001 Lexus SUV near his home when the vehicle crossed the median and struck a tree on the opposite side of the road. Police said Farr was the only person in the car, and no other vehicle was involved. WTVR quoted a nearby resident as saying she heard the crash around 2:30 am, but there were no police on the scene until around 7 am. ... The resident said there had been four fatal crashes on the road near her home in the past few years. ...Farr had been charged with one misdemeanor count of interfering with the operation of an aircraft by aiming a green laser beam at a Virginia State Police Cessna 182 patrol aircraft. ... Farr’s court date had been set for later in September 2013.

Russia: Laser aimed at passenger jet landing at Moscow airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-30T11:49:26-04:00

The incident is the latest in a string of similar attacks. Several aircraft have been targeted by laser pointers in Moscow and St. Petersburg in August alone. According to the Interior Ministry, laser attacks are the most common in these two cities. After a series of incidents involving lasers near airports in 2011, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, proposed such attacks should be punishable with prison terms of up to seven years in prison. The Duma plans to look at the bill again in the fall session. From RIA Novosti (August 28 Moscow incident) and UPI (August 24 St.

UK: Teen arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-28T13:15:50-04:00

A 15-year-old boy from Sunderland (in Tyne and Wear) was arrested on August 27 2013 for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter on Wearside. He was charged with recklessly or negligently acting in a manner to endanger an aircraft. A court date of September 19 2013 was set. From BBC News Tyne and Wear

UK: Couple found in bed, having aimed laser beam at search helicopter, then hiding laser pen under a mattress

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-28T12:27:47-04:00

The couple’s lawyer told the court that “both defendants were sorry and didn’t realize that the laser was powerful enough to reach a helicopter.” They had been using it to aggravate a nearby dog and “didn’t intend” to aim at the helicopter. The pilot noted that “this was a direct laser attack on my aircraft. It caused a significant distraction and, had it happened during an emergency, it could have had serious consequences.” The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner said “This was extremely reckless behavior, which could have had horrific consequences…. This relatively small fine does mean offenders appear to have been let off somewhat lightly…” From the Shields Gazette: Original story and response of the police commissioner

US: UPDATED - "Bored" Kentucky man jailed for testing laser gunsight range on police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-25T14:43:32-04:00

A 50-year-old man was arrested for wanton endangerment August 24 2013, after he aimed his laser gunsight at a Lexington (Ky.) ... He told police he was bored and pointed the laser on his gun at the helicopter to test its range. ...He told the station he was “shocked” when he heard the laser was attached to a loaded 9mm pistol. He said “When you combine the two elements of laser and gun, it’s quite alarming to us…. Now, the next time this happens, we’ve got to step back and say, ‘Is there a gun attached to this laser.’ ...He was sentenced to 12 months in jail; 30 days will be served while the remaining 11 months will be probated for two years. He is also required to complete 100 hours of community service, and to forfeit his gun and laser.

UK: Two arrested in Maidenhead for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-22T10:57:05-04:00

Two males were arrested August 20 2013 for shining a laser pen at a police helicopter in Maidenhead, a town about 12 miles west-northwest of London Heathrow Airport. They were arrested on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft; in addition, a laser pen was seized. A 17-year-old was bailed until September 10 while the other male arrested was released without charge. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said this was the first incident he had heard of in “a long time” in the area. From the Maidenhead Advertiser

US: California man arrested for shining laser at CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-22T10:47:00-04:00

Emilio Montenegro, 28, was arrested August 20 2013 for aiming a laser into the cockpit of a California Highway Patrol helicopter that was flying over San Miguel, in the central coast county of San Luis Obispo. Montenegro is charged with one felony count of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft and four unrelated warrants. He has a history of court charges including possession of controlled substances. Emilio Montenegro From the Tribune

US: 11-year-old denies aiming laser at Michigan airplanes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-21T13:28:00-04:00

Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan on August 17 2013 complained about a green laser being aimed at them from an area three miles to the east. Two days later, police responded to the same area, in the city of Kentwood, after “someone reported a similar light shining in their window.” In a nearby home where an 11-year-old boy lived, police found and confiscated a “high-powered” laser. The boy denied aiming at the planes. The investigation is still open. From WWMT Newschannel 3 and MLive. A video news report is at WOODTV.com.

UK: Man arrested in Great Yarmouth for aiming laser pen 7-8 times at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-21T11:27:11-04:00

A 34-year-old man was arrested for aiming a green laser pen at a National Air Support helicopter as it flew over Gorleston on August 21 2013. The pilot and crew were dazzled seven or eight times from the laser light. They were able to guide ground officers to the man’s home in Great Yarmouth. The unnamed individual was spotted aiming at the helicopter, and was arrested; his laser pen was also seized. A Norfolk police spokeswoman said “He has received a caution for recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or a person in an aircraft.” From the Norwich Evening News 24

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-21T00:23:32-04:00

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

Russia: String of recent laser pointer hits on aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-20T12:20:31-04:00

The pilots of two airliners reported attempts to blind them with laser pointers near Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on August 20 2013, according to Russian transport police. The first incident occurred shortly after midnight, when a laser pointer beam hit the cockpit of an Astana-bound airliner. The second took place less than an hour later, targeting a Moscow-London flight shortly after take-off, the Interior Ministry’s Transport Department said in a statement. ...The incidents are the latest in a string of similar attacks, with transport police reporting at least five aircraft being targeted by laser pointers in Moscow and St. ...After a series of incidents involving lasers near airports in 2011, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, a bill was introduced in the State Duma to punish violators with jail terms of up to seven years in prison. The Duma plans to look again at the bill in the fall 2013 session. ...See also this August 13 2013 story from Pravda, “Laser attacks against aircraft in Russia continue”

US: Second Philadelphia arrest in a week for lasing a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-16T12:32:27-04:00

For the second time in a week, a Philadelphia man has been arrested for aiming a laser at a police helicopter. Jose Feliciano, 19, is accused of illuminating the aircraft with a green laser beam at about 8:30 pm on August 15 2013. Police said "The light hit the officers in the eyes, causing pain and temporary loss of vision.” ...Feliciano was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, risking a catastrophe, and "related offenses." He could also face federal charges. This comes four days after 20-year-old Luis Martinez was arrested for a similar type of police helicopter illumination. From the Philadelphia Inquirer

US: Two airliners and helicopter hit by laser light in vicinity of Newark airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-16T12:28:59-04:00

Two commercial airliners on approach to Newark's airport were hit by lasers on August 15 2013. In addition, a private helicopter was also illuminated the same evening, about 22 miles away. There were no reported injuries or eye effects. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, at 9:20 pm the helicopter was about 10 miles south of Newark Liberty International Airport when it was illuminated with a green and white laser at 1,600 feet. About a half hour later, a Boeing 737 and an Embraer 135 were targeted with a green laser while on final approach to Newark Liberty airport. They were at an altitude of 3,000 feet, one mile east of Teterboro Airport. The two incidents are probably unrelated, since Teterboro Airport is about 13 miles north-northeast of Newark Liberty, and the helicopter was 10 miles south of Newark Liberty.

US: Two persons arrested, one charged for aiming a laser at a Philadelphia police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-13T00:40:06-04:00

Two persons were arrested August 11 2013 after a Philadelphia police helicopter was targeted with a green laser beam. The aircraft was searching for a woman reported to be screaming; this was later determined to be a false report. The helicopter officers were hit with the green beam. They tried to elude it but it remained aimed at them, interfering with their vision and instruments. ...Ground units arrested Luis Martinez, 20 and an unnamed other person. Martinez was charged with aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. He also could be charged on federal counts.

Australia: Perth-area man hits police helicopter multiple times, is arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-07T12:49:53-04:00

A 40-year-old man from the Woodvale area of Perth was arrested August 3 2013 for the offense of using a portable device to direct a visible lasers at or near a conveyance. The Western Australia police helicopter was patrolling Woodvale at about 10 pm. It was hit several times with a laser light. About five minutes later it was hit again. A forward-looking infrared camera was used to locate the unnamed suspect. From the Daily Telegraph and WA Today

UK: Man in parked car aims laser pen at West Midlands police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-07T12:16:50-04:00

A 25-year-old man from Nechells, an inner-city area of Birmingham, was arrested August 6 2013 after he aimed a laser pen at a West Midlands Police helicopter. The incident occurred at 11:30 pm in Edgbaston, an affluent area of Birmingham. The laser beam came from a parked car. Ground officers arrested Abdulhamid Ansi, a factory worker, on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. A court date was set for August 21 2013. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, there have been over 220 laser incidents in the West Midlands "in the last two years", as of July 3 2013. Arrest report from the Birmingham Mail and West Midlands Police; CAA statistics from an earlier Birmingham Mail article

Canada: Teen arrested in Calgary for temporarily blinding police pilot with laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-08-03T09:09:33-04:00

Both the pilot and the TFO are required to see a doctor before they can resume flying, but police expect them to fully recover. Sanche was arrested by ground officers after a short foot chase. He faces five charges including assault causing bodily harm, mischief causing danger to life, projection of a directed bright-light source towards an aircraft, and common nuisance endangering life. A court date has been set for August 6 2013. From Huffpost Alberta, 660News, the Calgary Herald, Sun News Network and CTV News. Thanks to L. Michael Roberts, and Larry McNish from the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for bringing this to our attention.

US: UPDATED - Virginia police pilot has temporary pain from laser beam; man arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-31T16:51:04-04:00

County was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor, interfering with the operation of an aircraft. Farr is accused of aiming a green laser beam at a Virginia State Police Cessna 182 patrol aircraft about 10 miles southeast of Richmond, on July 27 2013. ...[Assuming store laser pointers are below the FDA limit of 5 mW, that would put Farr’s laser at 50 mW. The beam from such a laser would cause visual interference at distances 3.16 times greater than a 5 mW pointer.] WTVR spoke to Farr, who admitted shining the laser “only briefly” and said he was surprised “when the cavalry arrived” at his home. If convicted on the misdemeanor, Farr could face up to a year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. ...UPDATED September 3 2013: Farr died in an automobile accident at around 2:30 am on September 2 2013.

Canada: Richmond Hill teen arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-28T17:25:13-04:00

Nima Serghani, 19, was arrested on charges that include mischief endangering life, for aiming a laser pen at the York Regional Police Helicopter on July 21 2013. The pilot, who was helping with a weapons call, left the area to ensure the safety of the crew and aircraft. Ground officers entered a home, found a bright-light source and drug-related items. A court date was set for August 2013. A video taken from the helicopter is at the York Region link. From 680news.com and YorkRegion.com. Thanks also to Kevin Smith for informing us as to which York (U.K. or Canada) was involved!

US: Guilty plea for L.A. tourist who lased two helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-25T22:04:54-04:00

On September 6 2012, Isaias Gonzalez, a 25-year-old tourist from Denver, pointed a green laser beam at a KTLA news helicopter flying over Los Angeles. A L.A. County Sheriff’s Department helicopter was sent to investigate and it too was lased. On July 25 2013 Gonzalez pleaded guilty in federal court to intentionally aiming his laser at the two aircraft. He could receive up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at his sentencing, scheduled for December 2013. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California, Gonzalez is the second person prosecuted by their office for violating the Feb. 2012 federal law which made it illegal to aim at or near the path of an aircraft. (The first was Adam Gardenhire, sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in March 2013.) From the Los Angeles Times

US: 30 months for Dallas man who lased helicopter "to see how far it would go"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-25T19:54:30-04:00

Kenneth Santodomingo was sentenced July 25 2013 to 30 months in federal prison, for the January 28 2013 lasing of a helicopter. A green laser beam was aimed at Dallas Police Department’s Air One at least four times over 10 minutes. The beam led back to Santodomingo’s house, where ground officers arrested him. The 22-year-old admitted to aiming at the helicopter, saying he wanted to see how far it would go. “This young man’s conduct was extraordinarily dangerous and could have had disastrous consequences, which was reflected in the court’s sentence today,” said U.S. Attorney Sarah R. ...A video of the incident is available here. LaserPointerSafety.com’s original account of Santodomingo’s February 28 2013 guilty plea is here.

US: UPDATED - Laser pointer aimed at medical helicopter by Ohio man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-25T14:57:12-04:00

From WKBN and U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Ohio ...A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Travis D. Krzysztofiak, age 34, of Boardman, Ohio, with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. The indictment charges that on or about June 15, 2013, Krzysztofiak aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a medical helicopter on approach to Akron’s Children’s Hospital in Boardman, Ohio. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigaton and the Boardman Police Department. ...A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

US: UPDATED - Omaha man sentenced to two years for aiming laser at aircraft and helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-23T10:45:49-04:00

Michael A. Smith of Omaha was sentenced July 22 2013 to two years in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.. He was the first person in Nebraska indicted under the February 14 2012 federal law which made it illegal to aim a laser at an aircraft. The sentencing came a little over one year after the July 11 2012 lasings in which Smith -- 29 at the time -- aimed a red laser pointer at a Southwest Airlines aircraft, and subsequently six or seven times at an Omaha police department helicopter that was trying to find the perpetrator. ...In addition, Omaha.com reported that Smith had previously been fined $9,000 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. For the July 11 2012 incident, he could have received a five-year sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. ...The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Michael Smith’s assertion that he didn’t believe the laser would reach the aircraft. The court said the February 14 2012 federal law doesn’t require prosecutors to show that he intended to hit the aircraft.

Australia: Sydney-area man arrested for pointing laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-22T11:46:16-04:00

A 36-year-old man was arrested in Greenacre, about 15 km from Sydney, one day after a laser pointer was aimed at the New South Wales Police Force’s PolAir2 helicopter on July 20 2013. The helicopter crew contacted Barkstown Police with the location. On July 21, the police executed a search warrant at the address and arrested the unnamed man. He was charged with acting to threaten the safety of an aircraft/person. He was freed on bail and will appear in court on August 21 2013. From the New South Wales Police Force and News.com.au

US: UPDATED - Pilot of crashed 777 first says he was blinded by a light; then retracts any vision effects

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-11T11:48:30-04:00

Hersman said at a July 11 media briefing that the pilot flying “observed a bright point source of light that could have been a reflection of the sun but he wasn’t sure. ... And he stated that he did not think that the light affected his vision because he could see the flight control instruments and he was able to look at the speed tape at that time. Neither of the other two flight crew members mention this light during their interviews with our investigators, and in the review of the Cockpit Voice Recorder there is no discussion on the CVR of the light or of the flying pilot seeing a light.” ...At LaserPointerSafety.com we have seen only one news report of a laser aimed at aircraft during daylight hours, and this might have been due to a news reporter misreading the time listed on a police report. ...In the Asiana Airlines case, if a laser was aimed at the pilot, it is highly unlikely that there would be any discernible effect on the pilot's eye. ... But if the pilot has not complained about this until days after the event, it is unlikely that there would be any physical change or indication of laser injury to the eye that could independently confirm the pilot’s account. ...It may be that some of these were not lasers (e.g., spotlights), that they were not handheld lasers (e.g., from a laser light show or other source), that the pilots misreported the color due to shock and surprise, or that the light was so bright that color differentiation would be difficult (e.g., bleaching of the retina).

Egypt: Dozens of laser pointers aimed at helicopters during protest

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-07-01T21:27:01-04:00

Egyptian protesters aimed dozens of laser pointers at military helicopters overflying the crowd, on July 1 2013. This appears to be the first time that multiple laser pointers have been deliberately converged on aircraft. There were no immediate reports of injuries to the air crews, or of the laser light causing the pilots to lose control. Complete coverage, including more photos and videos, is in this LaserPointerSafety.com story in the “Statistics, laws, all other news” section.

US: Florida man charged with felony after lasing sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-06-28T14:53:55-04:00

A 20-year-old man from Plant City, Florida was charged with a third degree felony for aiming a laser device at a St Lucie County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, around June 27 2013. The penalty is up to five years in jail and a $200,000 fine. ...The helicopter was on routine patrol over Fort Pierce when someone in a black pickup truck pointed a green laser beam at the aircraft, twice. Ground deputies arrested front seat passenger Brian Alan Hart, who had a green laser pointer in his boot. The arresting officer told hard the light could have caused a crash. Hart apologized and said that “he didn’t understand the magnitude of what he had done.” A Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said laser incidents “happen about once a month.”

US: Orlando-area tourist arrested for lasing helicopter during search mission

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-06-26T19:30:30-04:00

A tourist from Asheboro, North Carolina was arrested in Kissimmee, Florida (south of Orlando and east of Walt Disney World) on June 25 2013, and was charged with pointing a laser device at a pilot. ...The Osceola County Sheriff’s Department was searching for two missing boaters at around 11 pm. The pilot and observer said a green laser light blinded them three times. ...Deputies entered the house where Ryan Paul Lucas gave them the laser. The Sheriff’s Department quoted Lucas as telling the deputies that he “messed up and should not have shined the light at the helicopter.” ...The missing boaters were safety located, though it is not known whether they were found by the helicopter crew. The suspect’s arrest location, marked “A”, is about 7-8 miles from theme parks at Walt Disney World

US: 11-year-old Omaha boy targets aircraft with laser pointer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-06-21T11:47:49-04:00

An 11-year-old Omaha boy was said to have aimed a laser pointer at an airplane approaching Eppley Airfield, the largest airport in Nebraska. Police were not initially able to locate the perpetrator of the lasing, which occurred about 12:45 am on June 20 2013, approximately 14 miles southwest of the airport. However, at 3:30 am, a caller told police that juvenile males -- one with a laser pointer -- had knocked on his door and then run away. The caller’s location was about a mile from the original laser incident search area. Police responding to the call found the 11-year-old and the laser pointer nearby. He was booked and then later released to his mother. From the Omaha World-Herald and Nebraska Radio Network

Canada: Oshawa man facing charges (for daytime lasing?) of helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-06-15T12:13:11-04:00

A 44-year-old Oshawa man was charged with assault with a weapon, mischief endangering life, common nuisance and obstructing police after a June 14 2013 incident. The Durham Regional Police Service helicopter Air-1 was hit by a laser beam several times while patrolling above Oshawa. Unusually, the laser illumination was said to have taken place at noon, according toThe Star. Crew on the helicopter directed ground officers to a parking lot where Richard McIntosh was arrested. His green Class IIIB laser was seized by police. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: Although The Star stated the incident took place at noon, this could be a misreading of the time on the police report. We have seen other stories where one news outlet said an incident occurred during daytime while others reported (correctly) that the time was, for example, 12:45 AM and not 12:45 PM.

US: San Diego-area man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-06-08T15:39:38-04:00

Fernando Arrollado, 34, was arrested June 8 2013 for illuminating a San Diego County Sheriff’s Department helicopter five times with a green laser beam. He was jailed on five counts of discharging a laser light at an aircraft. Arrollado’s location, on an apartment balcony in the city of La Mesa, was identified by officers using an onboard forward-looking infrared camera. They called in the La Mesa police. Arrollado admitted shining a 20 milliwatt laser at the helicopter and was arrested. From ABC 10 News

US: UPDATED - Phoenix police helicopter lased twice in one night; one arrest made

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-05-29T14:33:16-04:00

A Phoenix police department helicopter was illuminated twice in one night by a laser beam, early in the morning of May 29 2013. ...The first incident occurred at the red square location, the second incident occurred two hours and 15 miles away at the green triangle location. ...Police said they found a laser device in his home, and that Rubi was a suspect in a previous incident involving a helicopter landing at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. ...storyid=209333321&pos=top&swfw=470">

US: Columbus man indicted for lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-05-11T11:33:26-04:00

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.”

Australia: Suspended sentence for man who lased helicopter 30 times

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-05-10T11:43:34-04:00

A man from Ormeau, Queensland, on May 9 2013 was given a three-month suspended jail sentence with a three-year good behavior bond, after being convicted of threatening the safety of persons on board an aircraft. On December 28 2012, two commercial aircraft reported being illuminated by laser beams. ... A laser beam was aimed at the helicopter up to 30 times over a five minute period. ... (Gavin later was convicted of a lesser charge of possessing a restricted item.) ...During sentencing the judge said the plea showed that Gavin had taken personal responsibility for his actions. But past charges of careless driving and minor criminal activity also showed “you have a history that shows in the past you’ve put people at risk,” the judge said. “I don’t think you need to be a person that understands E=mc2 to understand the risk of pointing a laser at aircraft.”

US: Two arrested for aiming laser pointer at Pasadena police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-05-07T15:35:26-04:00

Two men were arrested May 6 2013 for aiming a laser beam at a Pasadena (CA) Police Department helicopter that was responding to an apparently unrelated burglary alarm. As the aircraft was checking the area, a laser beam was shone at the helicopter. The pilot and observer, who were not injured by the light, directed ground units to the source. Officers found 30-year-old Joel Reyna and 32-year-old Aram Yashu, both of Alhambra. One of the suspects was on parole, which allowed officers to perform a warrantless search of the area. They found a laser pointer, drug paraphernalia and evidence of credit card fraud. ...No evidence of burglary was found at the site of the alarm, and the suspects are not believed to have been involved in any burglary.

US: UPDATED - Omaha man convicted of July 2012 airliner, helicopter lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-04-24T21:46:51-04:00

30-year-old Michael A. Smith of Omaha, Nebraska was convicted April 24 2013 in federal court, for multiple instances of aiming a laser pointer at an airliner and a police helicopter. ... Smith could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. ...On July 11 2012, a Southwest Airlines pilot was lased as he came in for a landing in Omaha. Subsequently, an Omaha Police Department helicopter was also lased six or seven times, with the pilot reporting being temporarily blinded. ...LaserPointerSafety.com originally reported on this in July 2012, when police had not yet arrested Smith. ...UPDATED July 22 2013: Michael Smith was sentenced to two years in federal prison to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. He was the first person in Nebraska indicted under the February 14 2012 federal law which made it illegal to aim a laser at an aircraft.

US: UPDATED - 2 years probation in May 2012 St. Louis helicopter lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-04-11T15:18:35-04:00

Louis area man was sentenced on April 11 2013 to two year’s probation, two months home confinement and 40 hours of community service. On May 18 2012, Michael Brandon Smith, then 35 years old, aimed a green laser beam at a St. Louis Metro Air Support helicopter that was investigating a burglary. ... The vision of the pilot and observer was affected; the observer later said he had short-term vision problems. Ground units arrested Smith -- still with the laser in his hand -- at his residence in O’Fallon, Missouri. ...Smith pleaded guilty in federal court in November 2012 to one felony count of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...The story was originally briefly reported in LaserPointerSafety.com.

UK: Middlesbrough man "defiant" after suspended jail term for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-04-11T00:39:43-04:00

A Middlesbrough man who lased a Cleveland Police helicopter appeared "defiant", according to the Daily Star, after he received a six-month suspended sentence. Jack Waistle, 21, had pleaded guilty to a charge of endangering an aircraft. He had pointed a laser pen at the helicopter, forcing the pilot to change direction to avoid the bright light. During the April 10 2013 court hearing, Waistle was said to be “very scared about what could happen to him”. Recorder Graham Cook said “You are right to be scared, you could easily be going behind that door” meaning jail. Instead, Waistle received a six-month suspended sentence plus 150 hours of unpaid work. Leaving the courtroom, Waistle put two fingers up (photo above) which the Daily Star’s headline called “defiant”.

US: Philadelphia man jailed 3 months for July 2012 lasing of news helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-04-10T23:59:21-04:00

PHILADELPHIA - Daniel F. Dangler, 30, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to three months in jail followed by seven months of home confinement for aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. ...A green laser beam is more powerful than a red laser beam but either can cause retina damage to the crew of an aircraft. The helicopter crew was able to identify the house from which the laser originated, uniformed officers responded and Dangler was questioned. Initially he denied using the laser but, on a subsequent interview with FBI agents, he admitted to knowingly shining the laser beam at the helicopter. On February 14, 2012, President Barack Obama signed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which modernizes the nation’s aviation system. This Act establishes a new criminal offense for aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft. The statute was enacted in response to a growing number of incidents of pilots being distracted or even temporarily blinded by laser beams.

US: Alice, TX men face felony charges for Dec. 2012 helicopter lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-04-02T11:52:50-04:00

The FBI announced on April 1 2013 that two men from Alice, Texas have been charged under federal law with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. The men, Joshua Nathaniel Vela and Jon David Lopez, both 21, could receive up to five years in federal prison and up to $250,000 fine. According to the indictment, on December 27 2012 each man aimed a laser pointer at the Halo Flight medical helicopter. From an FBI Houston Division press release. Thanks to Chuck Maricle of AixiZ for bringing this to our attention.

US: UPDATED - 30 month sentence for California teen Adam Gardenhire

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-03-26T08:42:34-04:00

Adam Gardenhire, 19, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on March 25 2013, for aiming a “commercial grade” green laser pointer at an airplane and a police helicopter in California. ... Federal sentencing guidelines recommended an 18-24 month penalty, but U.S. DIstrict Judge Stephen Wilson said he wanted to send a message that Gardenhire’s behavior was “reckless and very dangerous.” ...On March 29 2012, the North Hollywood teenager aimed a laser beam from his backyard at a Cessna that was landing at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank. ...According to his attorney, Gardenhire was unaware of the hazard: “[He] had no idea that the deceptively ordinary laser he had borrowed from a friend was powerful enough to be seen by, much less distract, a pilot thousands of feet away…. ...However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Mills said Gardenhire told FBI agents that the friend who loaned him the laser told him not to shine it at anyone’s eyes because it would blind people. ...He was the second person indicted under the Feb. 2012 federal law making it illegal to aim at an aircraft or the flight path of an aircraft. ... U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson said in court that he sentenced Gardenhire to 30 months so as to send a message to other people.

US: UPDATED - 3 men, 1 woman indicted in 3 separate California incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-03-22T14:00:12-04:00

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury in Fresno returned three indictments today charging three men and one woman under new federal legislation that makes it a crime to point the beam of a laser at an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner and Herbert M. Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office. The federal statute used to charge the defendants is part of legislation signed into law last year by President Obama that makes it a federal crime to knowingly aim the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...Brett Lee Scott, 25, of Bakersfield, was charged with four counts of aiming a laser pointer at Air-1, a Kern County Sheriff helicopter. Scott was also charged with four counts of attempting to interfere with the safe operation of Air-1, an offense that was enacted in 2001 under the U.S. Patriot Act and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. ...Sergio Patrick Rodriguez, aka Javier Rodrigues, 26, and his girlfriend, Jennifer Lorraine Coleman, 23, both of Clovis, were charged with two counts of aiming a laser pointer at Air George, an emergency transport ambulance of Children’s Hospital Central California, and Air-1, a Fresno Police Department helicopter. ...Charles Conrad Mahaffey, 22, of Clovis, was charged with one count of aiming a laser pointer at Eagle 1, a Fresno County Sheriff helicopter, and one count of attempting to interfere with the safe operation of the helicopter. ...The defendants face a maximum prison term of 20 years as to each charge of interfering with the safe operation of an aircraft and a maximum prison term of five years as to each charge of pointing a laser at an aircraft.

US: UPDATED - Texas men arrested for lasing Homeland Security helicopter while high

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-03-08T22:27:46-05:00

Two Texas men were arrested on March 7 2013 after allegedly aiming a green laser three times at a Department of Homeland Security helicopter flying near Donna, Texas. ... He was able to identify the vehicle from which the laser was aimed, and directed ground units to its location. ...Margarito Tristan III, 23, was charged with illuminating an aircraft with a laser pointer, impairing the operator, and with possession of marijuana. Eugene Uresti, 22, was charged with resisting arrest and public intoxication. A third occupant of the car was released with no charges filed. Tristan told arresting officers that he was trying to hit a star with the laser. ...UPDATED September 25 2013: Tristan was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, plus an additional two years of supervised release following his prison term.

US: UPDATED - Guilty plea for Dallas man who aimed green laser pointer at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-02-28T14:16:24-05:00

22-year-old Kenneth Santodomingo pleaded guilty on February 28 2013, to aiming a green laser pointer several times at a Dallas police helicopter that had been searching for car burglary suspects on January 28 2013. ...The entire video from the Air One helicopter can be seen here at YouTube. ...Above is a still frame from the video, showing the maximum laser impingement on the camera. (It should be noted that this is a very brief and atypical freeze frame; for most of the video the laser is waving around but is not aimed directly into the camera lens.) ...Santodomingo told officers “I wanted to see how far it [the laser’s beam] would go.” Sentencing is scheduled for July 25 2013; he could receive up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. ...UPDATED July 25 2013: Santodomingo was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.

US: Long Island man arrested for lasing two aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2013-01-24T12:58:16-05:00

He was charged under a February 2012 law making it a federal offense to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft, or the flight path of an aircraft. ...On January 23 2013 he was released on $10,000 bond and under the conditions that he not own or use a laser and that his home could be randomly searched. ...The arrest of Angel Rivas was announced today by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office. ...According to court filings, on August 21, 2012, the defendant used a laser pointer to direct a laser beam at a commercial aircraft and a Suffolk County Police Department helicopter sent up to investigate the initial incident. Investigators first determined that the beam of light came from the vicinity of the defendant’s residence on William Floyd Parkway in Shirley, New York, and then confirmed that the defendant himself had directed the laser beam at the aircraft and helicopter. ...Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General-Investigations, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the Port Authority Police Department for their participation in the investigation leading to today’s arrest. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos stated, “On a night last summer, Rivas allegedly endangered the lives of passengers and crew of not one but two aircraft and, potentially, people on the ground.

UK: Laser "injury" reported to Manton helicopter pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-16T23:45:08-05:00

A news report stated that a helicopter pilot was “injured” on November 11 2012 while flying over Manton, in the East Midlands. According to the story, a police spokesperson said “The pilot suffered adverse effects to his vision in one eye but no lasting damage. Thankfully he was able to land the helicopter safely.” Police are seeking information about the incident. From the Trader & Guardian

UK: Man fined £615 for disrupting police burglary call

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-13T13:09:03-05:00

A 35-year-old Reedswood man was fined £615 on November 12 2012, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter in Walsall, on July 21 2012. The helicopter was investigating a burglary when the laser light illuminated the cockpit for several seconds. The pilot moved the craft to avoid the beam. The incident was captured on video. Ian Collins pleaded guilty to “shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot”. He paid a £400 fine plus £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. From the Express & Star

New Zealand: UPDATED - 19 & 21 year olds found guilty of lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-12T13:25:14-05:00

Two New Zealand men were found guilty on November 10 2012 of “causing unnecessary danger to an aircraft” in a May 2011 lasing of a police helicopter. Joshua O’Hare-Knight, 21 and James Spiers, 19, face up to 12 months in prison. ...A video taken from the police helicopter, showing the laser beams, is here. James Spiers and Joshua O’Hare-Knight From the New Zealand Herald and Stuff.co.nz. Thanks to Mark Wardle of NZALPA for bringing the video to our attention. This is an updated story; the original LaserPointerSafety.com news item from May 2011 is here.

Scotland: Warning in Strathclyde after helicopter breaks off mission

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-12T13:17:11-05:00

Strathclyde police warned against misuse of lasers, after an October 31 2012 incident in Lanarkshire. A helicopter investigating a robbery was forced to stand down after being targeted by a laser. The person responsible has not been found. The November 12 2012 warning noted that “Shining a laser at a force helicopter or other aircraft has the potential to bring that aircraft down…. [I]t could lead to someone being seriously injured or worse.” From the Evening Times

US: UPDATED - Calif. woman again points laser at public safety vehicles

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-09T18:01:32-05:00

On November 2 2012, Irene Marie Levy of San Jacinto, California, was arrested for aiming a laser, first at a police cruiser and then at a sheriff’s department helicopter sent to look for the laser source. She faces a felony charge for the helicopter incident, and a misdemeanor charge of pointing a laser at law enforcement. Levy, 32, had previously been arrested for a June 30 2012 incident where Levy aimed a laser at least two separate times at a fire truck. She pleaded guilty on October 9 2012, was referred to mental health court, and was released on two years’ probation. Irene Marie Levy From the Press-Enterprise (original Nov. 2 arrest and Nov. 8 follow-up story). The original LaserPointerSafety.com story of her fire truck arrest is here.

US: Coast Guard crew member goes to hospital after laser hits executive jet

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-07T18:25:36-05:00

A crew member on a Coast Guard executive jet went to a hospital emergency room after being exposed to laser light. The Falcon jet had been on a search and rescue mission. It was landing at Corpus Christi International Airport on November 5 2012 when a laser beam “filled the cockpit with a blinding light.” ...The crew member was treated for temporary vision impairment and will make a full recovery. According to the Coast Guard, this was the third laser incident since June 2012 for aircrews at Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi. A Navy air station nearby has reported two other incidents. From KTRK-TV 13 Houston, CNN and Caller.com

Australia: $20,000 fine for Perth-area couple who aimed laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-11-02T19:19:54-04:00

A couple from the Perth suburb of Port Kennedy were fined AUS $10,000 each on October 25 2012, for lasing a Rockingham Police helicopter. The two were charged with causing fear with an object or substance to people in conveyances or others. On July 20 2012, the Polair 61 helicopter was patrolling when it was hit by the laser beam. ... Ground crews arrested 29-year-old Patricia Giguere and 31-year-old Clemens Trauttmansdorff. ...In an interview, Giguere said she and Trauttmansdorff had bought the laser in Bali. ...A Police Air Wing pilot said “laser attacks took place at least twice a week, and sometimes up to five times a night.” However, the Rockingham Police officer-in-charge said laser incidents “don’t happen very often.”

US: UPDATED - Orlando man acquitted of aiming at sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-10-28T01:08:50-04:00

A 23-year-old Orlando man was charged in late October 2012, with aiming a laser into the cockpit of a Seminole (Florida) County Sheriff's Department helicopter on July 17 2012. ...He wrote to LaserPointerSafety.com in May, asking that his name be removed from the above article, due to it causing difficulty when looking for work. ...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from LaserPointerSafety.com: On May 3 2013, I spoke with the person; for convenience, I will call him "John Doe." ...Later, a police officer came to him saying that a sheriff's department helicopter had said they saw a laser from his location. ...When it came to trial on January 8 2013, there were police officers, plus the two FBI agent, and federal prosecutor. ... Doe said you could not see the beam, just a dot that looks like any other light on the ground, which at one point got brighter. ...Doe did say, "Definitely people should be very careful as these lasers are not toys, but It would be one thing if my intent was malicious and I had a very powerful laser.

Northern Ireland: 6-month suspended sentence for east Belfast man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-10-26T01:25:03-04:00

A 26-year-old old man from east Belfast was given a 6-month suspended jail sentence in late October 2012, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter on August 17 2010. Michael Jackson pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft. His sentence was suspended because he is a full-time caregiver for his mother-in-law. The judge warned that “those who target aircraft in this dangerous and reckless way should expect to go to prison.” Jackson’s lawyer said the laser was aimed at the helicopter for a total of 37 seconds, in flashes lasting 1-2 seconds each, over a 17-minute period. According to the prosecutor, pilots are required to have an eye test after a laser incident, before being cleared to fly again. Jackson was ordered to pay £30 to cover the cost of the pilot’s eye test.

US: Kentucky student arrested in dorm for endangering police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-10-25T18:36:41-04:00

A 19-year-old student was arrested in his University of Louisville dorm room, for illuminating a police helicopter three times on October 21 2012. The pilot turned the helicopter away from the light, then was able to fly to the source location. Jeffry Ledington was charged with two felony counts of wanton endangerment. The laser was described as “about 10 inches long and about as big around as a thumb.” From The Republic and WAVE3.com

US: Laser aimed at medical helicopter near Pittsburgh

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-09-22T13:56:50-04:00

A medical helicopter was targeted by a laser pointer, on September 19 2012 in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Brookline. Although police searched for a suspect, no person was caught immediately. The investigation continues. The director of operations for STAT MedEvac said that the medical helicopter is hit by lasers several times a year, and that the hits “can kill people.” From WTAE.com

New Zealand: Teen sentenced to home detention

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-09-22T13:37:39-04:00

A south Auckland teenager was sentenced on September 21 2012 to 4-1/2 months home detention, for illuminating three aircraft and a police helicopter with a laser. On January 26 2012, 19-year-old Pravikash Chandra aimed a green laser pointer, bought at a local store, at three commercial aircraft that were on final approach to Auckland Airport. ...Chandra pleaded guilty to four charges of endangering aircraft under the New Zealand Civil Aviation Act. He could have received one year in jail on each charge. While the judge felt that imprisonment was warranted in order to send a message, he instead gave Chandra a 4-1/2 month home detention sentence. ...Chandra said he did not know of the hazards: “I didn’t try to act like a smart ass, I just didn’t know.” His lawyer said the teen apologized to the pilots and said that what he did was “reckless and foolish behavior.” ...See a related story, where the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association called for Australian-style restrictions on laser pointer sales and possession.

Catching up: Aviation incident news, Aug/Sept. 2012

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-09-05T02:23:07-04:00

UK: 18-year-old Hammaad Arif of Blackburn was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 240 hours unpaid work, and pay £85 costs, for shining a laser more than 12 times into a Lancashire Police helicopter. ...US: A 19-year-old from Falmouth, Maine was charged on August 27 2012 with aiming a laser pointer at a commercial aircraft and at a boat on August 24 2012. ...UK: A 21-year-old woman from Hartlepool was arrested for aiming a laser at a Cleveland Police Force helicopter on August 22 2012. ...US: Six months in prison for Orlando’s Glenn Stephen Hansen, who aimed at commercial aircraft at least 23 times from January to March 2012. ...In a separate incident also on August 19, a 14-year-old boy was arrested for repeatedly targeting a West Yorkshire police helicopter with a laser pen. ...US: 42-year-old Thomas Kurtz of LaFayette, New York, was charged with misdemeanor reckless endangerment for shining a green laser at the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department helicopter on August 15 2012. ...UK: A 21-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser pen at a 737 airliner over Washington, Tyne and Wear, on its way to Newcastle International Airport on August 14 2012.

UK: 200 hours of community work for South Yorkshire man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-09T04:19:35-04:00

A 27-year-old man from Sheffield was sentenced in August 2012 to 200 hours of unpaid community service, and was ordered to pay £85 in court costs, for shining a laser at South Yorkshire’s police helicopter. Neil Shackleton aimed the laser from his bedroom window to the helicopter as it flew two miles away. On-board cameras helped determine the laser’s location, and ground units arrested Shackleton. Neil Shackleton Police said the action could have caused the helicopter to crash. Two other cases that happened at about the same time are still in court. From The Star (and a more detailed, earlier version from The Star)

US: Spokane County searches called off due to laser interference

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-09T04:08:29-04:00

Searches by the “Air One” helicopter in Spokane County, Washington, are being called off due to laser pointer interference. In July 2012, the helicopter was targeted five times. Other local air crews with MedStar and Fairchild Air Force Base have had trouble as well. Authorities are asking the public for help in stopping the laser strikes. From KREM

US: Camp Pendleton Marines ask public to stop lasing their noisy helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-09T03:10:40-04:00

Marine helicopters flying out of Camp Pendleton, California have been targeted multiple times by lasers from the nearby community of Fallbrook, in northern San Diego County. In an attempt to stop the lasings, a Marine officer discussed the incidents and the hazards of lasers with a local reporter for the North County Times, on August 7 2012. ...The chopper noise is “a backdrop to daily life in Fallbrook”, writes reporter Tom Pfingsten. ...The air traffic control officer for Munn Field told Pfingsten that the lasers can potentially damage eyes and that pilots may not be able to see in the cockpit, especially when crews are wearing night vision goggles that bloom when hit by laser light. Pfingsten wrote that “the Marines seem really worried about … losing one of their pilots to a random act of vandalism.” While the base files reports with the FAA and the Fallbrook sheriff, military police cannot be sent to find the laser source. So they are basically “asking nicely” that the public help stop whoever is lasing the military helicopters.

US: Laser causes Coast Guard in SC to break off search; 3rd time in 3 weeks

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-09T02:53:19-04:00

For the third time in three weeks, a South Carolina Coast Guard mission was broken off due to lasers being aimed at a helicopter. As a result, a 60 mile stretch of beach, the “Grand Strand”, is now identified as “very high risk” to Coast Guard aircrews. ...A helicopter from Air Facility Charleston, S.C. arrived in the area when it was illuminated by a laser. ...A boat was sent to continue the search, but did not arrive at the scene until about two hours after the helicopter had left. ...The commanding officer of the Coast Guard’s Air Station Savannah said “… every time we send our aircrews to the Grand Strand, we're telling them to fly into the equivalent of a storm, where it's almost guaranteed they'll be hit. We're simply asking the public to stop putting Coast Guard men and women in senseless and unnecessary danger." ...See a related story about the first two Coast Guard laser incidents, in July 2012, in the same area.

US: Phoenix man gets 90 days in jail for lasing three aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-09T02:28:30-04:00

A Phoenix man who bought a laser at a yard sale, and wanted to see how far it could go, was sentenced August 8 2012 for aiming at two commercial aircraft and a police helicopter. Michael Andrew Cerise, 47, will spend 90 days in jail, followed by three years of supervised probation. ...A U.S. Airways flight carrying about 200 passengers altered its course by 90 degrees during final approach, to avoid the laser. ... A Phoenix Police Department helicopter sent to investigate was hit as well. Cerise was found at his home with a laser hidden in his couch cushions. At first he said he had not pointed lasers at the sky, but in a later interview said he had aimed it upwards to test its distance capabilities. ...Authorities said there had been similar incidents in the area for eight months prior to Cerise’s arrest.

US: 22-year-old near San Diego may be charged with lasing sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-08-01T22:05:39-04:00

A laser was pointed at a sheriff’s helicopter flying over the community of 4S Ranch, in San Diego County, California on July 31 2012. ... Ground officers were directed to a home where a 22-year-old man was found with a “commercial grade green laser”. The district attorney’s office has the case and may bring felony charges of aiming a laser at an aircraft. A sheriff’s spokesperson said of the laser light beam “It’s not different, really, than if you were to shoot an officer.” He said the lasers can cause permanent eye injuries and can cause a crash. Since January 2011, there were approximately six laser incidents in the county. No crew members were injured, according to the spokesperson.

Canada: Teen arrested in Winnipeg for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-27T00:42:05-04:00

An unnamed 19-year-old was arrested for aiming a laser multiple times at a Winnipeg Police Service helicopter on July 25 2012. The lasing happened as the AIR1 helicopter was breaking up a bonfire party in Omand Park. According to CJOB, the crew was able to shield their eyes. The man was arrested on unspecified charges, most likely assault with a weapon and charges under the Aeronautics Act for aiming a bright light at an aircraft. This was the fourth lasing incident for AIR 1 since February 1 2011. From the Winnipeg Free Press and CJOB

US: Long Island police helicopter hit by 14-year-old boy

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-27T00:26:57-04:00

A 14-year-old boy from Brentwood aimed a laser at a Suffolk County (Long Island) police helicopter on July 24 2012. The cockpit lit up at least twice before the helicopter crew was able to aim a spotlight at the boy and identify him. Ground officers confiscated the laser and spoke with the teen’s mother. A police spokesperson noted that “the immediate hazard has been removed. ...As of July 26 he had not been charged with a crime. However, an investigation is continuing, especially to find out if the boy was responsible for the July 15 lasing of a JetBlue flight that drew nationwide attention. From Newsday, NBC New York and CBS New York

UK: Teen arrested in Blackburn for lasing helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-24T05:30:10-04:00

An 18-year-old man was arrested in Blackburn, Lancashire, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter pilot. The aircraft was returning from a mission when the incident occurred. The aircrew tracked the laser and notified ground officers, who approached a group of men traveling in a car. The unnamed teenager was arrested. From This Is Lancashire

US: Lincoln, Neb. pilot reports "pretty blinding" light

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-23T05:37:34-04:00

A Nebraska TV news station reported on a pilot who experienced his cockpit “flooded with a green light [that[ was pretty blinding.” Jesse Angell was flying an aircraft 2,000 feet above northeast Lincoln, around July 4 2012, when he was tracked and hit multiple times: “Every time I was over that part of the city, they would proceed to blast me with the laser.” He reported the incident to local police. As of July 22, Angell had not heard anything back from police. From KLKN-TV

US: UPDATED - Coast Guard makes "emergency landing" after S.C.laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-18T18:22:54-04:00

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, searching for a missing boater near Charleston S.C., made an emergency landing after a laser was aimed into the cockpit from shore on July 16 2012. According to Carolina Live, the Coast Guard requires an eye exam for each person on board after any laser incident. ...The story did not say whether the helicopter crew broke off their mission, or whether they completed the search before the landing. It also does not give a definition or details of the emergency; for example, whether merely having the laser in the cockpit required an emergency landing under Coast Guard procedures, or whether the crew experienced any vision or operational difficulties. There have been six laser incidents with Savannah air station-based Coast Guard helicopters in the last year and a half, with four of these occurring during searches. ...In addition to this story, see additional stories at LaserPointerSafety.com about ongoing problems at Myrtle Beach. UPDATE July 28 2012: A story at Myrtle Beach Online describes the ordeal of the missing boaters, and how lasers twice forced Coast Guard helicopters to break off the search.

US: UPDATED - Florida man blames stores for selling him a laser pointer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-17T07:15:13-04:00

A 44-year-old man was arrested July 15 2012 for aiming a laser pointer at a Polk County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Gary Don Carroll told officers that “he did not understand why the stores would sell a laser pointer if the laser pointer is illegal to use.” The Highland City man was charged under Florida statute 784.062(3a), Misuse of Laser Lighting Devices, which is a third-degree felony. ...UPDATED — On December 17 2014, Gary Don Carroll was arrested for leaving the scene of a fatal crash that occurred on February 22 2014. A 32-year-old man, Eric Wayne Pope of Lakeland, Florida, was killed while riding his bicycle with reflective vest and lights. ... Carroll was also charged with tampering with evidence, for having his truck’s hood and headlight replaced. Carroll has “an extensive criminal arrest history which includes six felony, four misdemeanor, six unknown level arrests, and two failures to appear.

US: JetBlue pilot reports minor laser injury over Long Island

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-16T17:33:14-04:00

The FAA is reporting that a JetBlue pilot suffered an unspecified minor injury to his eye, caused by a green laser beam while over Deer Park on New York’s Long Island. The incident happened July 15 2012 as Flight 657 was at 5,000 feet altitude about 35 miles east of its destination, JFK International Airport. The First Officer was in command of the aircraft when two flashes of green laser light came into the cockpit, about 10 minutes before the plane landed safely at JFK. ...Commentary from LaserPointerSafety.com: The FAA defines a laser eye “injury” as anything which happens to an eye, including temporary afterimages and watering eyes. ...For example, a person temporarily flashblinded by a camera’s flash would be “injured” according to FAA, although eye safety experts clearly state that an afterimage is temporary bleaching of photoreceptors and is not an injury. Using a scientific definition of visible laser eye injury, meaning a minimally visible lesion on the retina, there have been no documented permanent laser eye injuries to pilots in any of the over 11,000 FAA laser incidents on record. ... There have been roughly 3-5 temporary laser eye injuries where pilots had a lesion which was medically visible, and which subsequently healed to leave no spots or other adverse vision effect.

US: UPDATED - Omaha man question but do not arrest man for lasing plane, police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-16T14:39:08-04:00

A man in his late 20’s who authorities believe aimed a laser at an airplane and a police helicopter, possibly on multiple occasions, was questioned after being located by an Omaha (Nebraska) police helicopter. ...The incident happened early in the morning of July 11 2012 in the backyard of a home in a suburb northwest of Omaha. ...A police evidence technician displays the laser pointer that was confiscated from the Omaha man. ...A spokesperson for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said "We're also told he might have been doing this on prior occasions. ...UPDATED April 24 2013: Michael A. Smith, 30, was convicted of the July 11 2012 lasing. ...UPDATE 2, July 22 2013: Michael A. Smith was sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. He was the first person in Nebraska indicted under the February 14 2012 federal law which made it illegal to aim a laser at an aircraft.

UK: 6 month sentence for Weston man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-07-16T07:46:32-04:00

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. ... 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. ...He pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or people in an aircraft. ...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.

Australia: Teen arrested for aiming at Gold Coast police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-30T16:25:46-04:00

A 15-year-old Ashmore boy was arrested for illuminating a police helicopter on June 29 2012. Police said the three crew members were “affected” by the beam. The incident happened in the Gold Coast area of Queensland. Police looking for the laser source found a group of teenagers. One had a laser pointer and knife. He will be charged under the Youth Justice Act. From the Herald Sun and Sky News.

US: UPDATED - St. Louis man indicted, faces 5 years for lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-28T21:53:31-04:00

Michael Brandon Smith was indicted June 6 2012 on federal charges of aiming a laser at a Metro St. Louis Air Support helicopter. The 35-year-old resident of O’Fallon, Missouri could be imprisoned for up to five years and/or fined up to $250,000 if found guilty of the May 18 2012 illumination. From KSDK.com, Riverfront Times, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri UPDATED April 11 2013: Michael Brandon Smith was sentenced to two year’s probation, two months home confinement and 40 hours of community service. A LaserPointerSafety.com story is here.

US: UPDATED - 100-year sentence possible for Va. man after two laser incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-21T11:18:28-04:00

A 56-year-old Virginia Beach man faces up to 100 years in prison on six counts related to incidents on April 11 and June 5 2012 where Navy aircraft were lased near Naval Air Station Oceana. ... • Two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft (5 years maximum penalty for each count) ...The two counts of assaulting federal officers may be related to Bruce calling the air station to threaten to shoot at the noisy aircraft. According to a press release, “it is believed that the Eastern District of Virginia is the second jurisdiction to indict” using the new Federal law passed February 14 2012, making it a criminal offense to aim a laser pointer at or near an aircraft. ...Pilots testified that they saw lasers at least 10 times from the area of Bruce’s house between December 29 2011 and June 5 2012. One of the pilots lased by Bruce reported that direct eye exposure was painful, distracted her during landing, and gave her a headache. A spokesperson for Oceana Naval Air Station said that, of 18 laser incidents in Virginia Beach since December 2011, 12 of the incidents were due to Bruce.

Canada: Calgary man gets house arrest in 2010 helicopter lasing case

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-19T09:04:58-04:00

The three aircrew members were grounded until doctors determined there was no damage to their eyes from the laser exposure. During the incident, one runway at Calgary International Airport was closed down, which did not affect air traffic. McConnell had been previously been convicted in 2009 under the Traffic Safety Act of pointing a laser at a police car. For the 2010 helicopter incident, McConnell pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of mischief causing damage to property, and to projecting a bright light at an aircraft to cause a hazard under the Aeronautics Act. Both McConnell’s lawyer and the crown prosecutor agreed that the sentencing conditions were an adequate punishment. According to his lawyer, McConnell did not realize the seriousness of aiming a laser at an aircraft. ...The judge said that “This is not a joke, a ha-ha thing, ‘look what I did!’.

UK: £465 fine for 12-minute lasing of police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-15T22:56:29-04:00

On February 11 2012, a police helicopter was flashed with a laser pen over a 12-minute period. The pilots “became completely dazzled” and broke off their search for a burglary suspect to deal with Lukasz Tetich, 28, who was quickly arrested in Croydon, a suburb 10 miles south of London. At a hearing on June 11 2012, Tetich was fined £465 and his laser pen was ordered to be destroyed. Lukasz Tetich From This Is Croydon Today

US: Two more laser incidents in Oklahoma City - due to copycat?

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-15T05:19:06-04:00

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – A federal felony complaint was filed late yesterday charging DERRICK M. SULLIVENT, 20, of Oklahoma City with two counts of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, specifically the Oklahoma City Police Department helicopter, announced Sanford C. ..."Pointing a laser at any aircraft creates such a serious safety issue that Congress enacted a new statute in February to make it a federal criminal felony offense carrying penalties up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine," said U.S. Attorney Coats. ... Pointing a laser at an aircraft is both a criminal act and a serious public safety concern." ...The Complaint specifically alleges that on two separate occasions, once on June 10, 2012, and again on June 11, 2012, Sullivent pointed a green laser beam at the Oklahoma City Police Department helicopter while it was flying in the area of 1616 Southwest 86th Street in Oklahoma City. ...As part of that Act, a new criminal offense was established for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft. The statute was enacted in response to a growing number of incidents of pilots being distracted or even temporarily blinded by laser beams. ...The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

UK: August 2011 laser case thrown out due to insufficient evidence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-13T10:32:55-04:00

Charges against Nikhil Vadher, 23, were dismissed on June 7 2012 after a court found insufficient evidence proving that he had aimed a laser at a police helicopter. ...The pilot testified that the crew was dazzled three times by “the sort of light that could only have been a laser. ... Vadher’s attorney said that the flash could not be traced to any particular house. He said that even if the light had come from Vadher’s house, there was no evidence that any shining was intentional. Vadher said there was a light coming from his laptop, which was next to his open bedroom window. After hearing both sides, the judge agreed there was no evidence of the crime, or that Vadher was the person who committed any crime. Vader told the Crawley News that his life had been on hold since his arrest on a charge of directing a light at an aircraft in flight to dazzle or distract the pilot.

US: Boy in Oklahoma City may be in serious trouble for lasing medical helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-13T10:22:58-04:00

A boy in Oklahoma City aimed a laser pointer at a medical helicopter headed for Baptist Medical Center on June 7 2012. When a police helicopter went to investigate, it too was hit. Officers were able to locate the boy responsible. Federal authorities are investigating and may bring “serious” charges. The age of the youth was not reported. From NewsOn6.com

US: Jacksonville man arrested for one lasing; may be linked to others

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-08T00:35:12-04:00

A Jacksonville-area man was arrested June 4 2012 for aiming a green laser four times at a Sheriff’s Office aircraft. In addition, police said there were “several” other incidents of aircraft being lased in the area; one pilot said he had been lased ten times recently. The pilot located the house and called in ground units. While police were talking to a woman, Tyler John Pennywitt, 40, was seen running through the house. He was arrested while hiding in the shower. Pennywitt said he had pointed a laser at aircraft “more than a dozen times” but that he did not know the laser could reach to the aircraft. While he was arrested for a Florida felony, misuse of a laser device on an aircraft, he could also face federal criminal charges.

UK: Bradford man arrested for aiming at West Yorkshire police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-06-08T00:28:13-04:00

A 25-year-old man from Bradford was arrested June 6 2012 for aiming a laser at a West Yorkshire police helicopter from his bedroom window. The crew was able to direct ground officers to the man’s home. The chair of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, which represents officers, said “we absolutely deplore this kind of activity.” Andrew Tempest-Mitchell said the lasing “beggars belief” and should be dealt with in the courts. From the Bradford Telegraph and Argus

US: Authorities search after St. Louis-area laser incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-30T11:57:04-04:00

Authorities are trying to find the persons who aimed lasers at aircraft, in three separate incidents on Memorial Day weekend. On May 27 2012, a helicopter was illuminated within three miles of Lambert - St. ... On May 28, a Delta Airlines flight about 12 miles southeast of Lambert was illuminated by a green laser at an altitude of 5,000 feet. ...Louis County Police helicopter pilot as saying “just about everyone who flies gets hit with a laser pointer at some point.” It is not clear if the pilot is referring to police helicopter pilots or to all pilots. (A LaserPointerSafety.com analysis shows that in the U.S., the chance of a pilot seeing a laser beam on any given flight in a single year, as of 2012, is about once in every 14,000 flights. This is based on 50,522,825 operations at U.S. airports Dec. 2010 to Dec. 2011 according to FAA’s Air Traffic Activity System, divided by 3,591 laser incidents in 2011, to give one incident for every 14,069 operations.)

US: Officer injured by cocaine user in Pasadena laser incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-25T22:17:12-04:00

A 23-year-old man aimed a laser at a Pasadena (CA) police helicopter on May 24 2012 as it flew over San Gabriel. ... During the tracking, the tactical flight officer on board was reported to have received an unspecified injury. ... Juarez was charged with two felonies: discharging a laser at an aircraft and possession of a controlled substance. ...This was the ninth laser incident reported by the Pasadena police in 2012. A police statement indicated that the helicopter crew had protective eyewear, but was not wearing them when the laser illuminated the aircraft. After the helicopter landed at the Pasadena Heliport, the officer was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital for evaluation. Police said the officer was “not seriously injured” and that there was no permanent damage.

US: Summons for Kansas City man lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-21T14:46:38-04:00

A Kansas City (Missouri) police helicopter was targeted by a green laser as it flew over the downtown area on May 20 2012. Ground units were called to an apartment where Grant P. Doverspike, 24, was issued a summons to appear in court, accused of attempted assault. Doverspike’s laser was also confiscated. From the Kansas City Star

US: Orlando man who lased 23+ planes pleads guilty; could get 5 year jail term

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-16T23:54:09-04:00

Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Glenn Stephen Hansen (49, Orlando) pled guilty today to aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. ...According to court documents, from about January 2012 until March 23, 2012, Hansen, on at least 23 occasions, aimed the beam of a laser at passenger aircraft departing Orlando International Airport. In the charging document, it is alleged that the aiming of the laser at the departing aircraft caused pilots to take evasive maneuvers during takeoff, and placed the aircraft in danger during a critical time in flight. For example, according to one pilot allegedly struck by the Hansen's, the ascension of the plane is a delicate process, and blinding the pilot during takeoff distracts the pilot from critical flight duties, thereby placing passengers at great risk. ...This Act establishes a new criminal offense for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft. The statute was enacted in response to a growing number of incidents of pilots being distracted or even temporarily blinded by laser beams. For more details, please see press release issued by the Federal Aviation Administration earlier today, http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?

US: Police looking for person who lased 2 planes at Salt Lake airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-13T15:32:58-04:00

Green laser beams were flashed at two airplanes as they were landing at Salt Lake International Airport on May 10 2012. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 was lased at an altitude of 9,500 feet above ground level, roughly 13 miles from the airport. About 12 minutes later, a Learjet was hit by a laser beam as it was descending through 6,000 feet in the same general area. An airport spokesperson said the laser illuminations briefly affected the pilots’ visibility, but did not change the flight path or affect the landing. ...Police in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Jordan are searching for the perpetrators. They believe the laser beams came from around South Valley Airport. From KTVU.com, the Salt Lake Tribune, and Fox13now.com

Australia: Sydney-area man arrested, jailed for lasing police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-11T08:01:24-04:00

A 39-year-old Leumeah man was arrested after illuminating the Polair 3 police helicopter four times with a green laser on May 8 2012. The pilot said he was disoriented after the laser flashes, which occurred at an altitude of 450 meters (1500 feet) while over Leumeah, a suburb southwest of Sydney. The crew used thermal imaging to locate Matthew William Moore. Ground officers arrested him on his front lawn, and located a nearby laser pointer. Moore pleaded not guilty to possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, and threatening the safety of an aircraft and the person on board. The was refused bail. A court date of June 1 was set.

Northern Ireland: £750 fine for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-11T07:46:06-04:00

A 28-year-old Dungiven man, Jagpal Irwin, was fined £750 for aiming a laser at a police helicopter on January 30 2012. The pilot said the laser beam was “intensely dazzling”. Irwin’s barrister said the incident, which was deliberate targeting of the aircraft, occurred due to “sheer stupidity and ignorance”. During his arrest, Irwin told the police he did not know that it was illegal to aim at aircraft. During the trial, the judge noted that Irwin was “lucky to have escaped jail”. Due to how the charges were brought, Irwin did not face a jail term or a custodial sentence. From Highland Radio and BBC News Foyle & West

Australia: Two NSW laser incidents -- one against aircraft -- being investigated

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-07T11:36:48-04:00

The following is from a New South Wales Police Force press release dated May 7 2012: ...About 7:50pm, Sunday 6 May 2012, a Boeing 767 was on approach to Sydney Airport and flying over the Kurnell area when a green laser was pointed at the aircraft. ... Despite police patrols of Kurnell, Bonna Point Reserve and the Botany Bay National Park the culprit of the laser attack was not located. In another incident, about 12:45am today police were called to a petrol station on the corner of Port Hacking Road and The Kingsway after the store attendant reported a green laser light being shone at the premises. The beam was reported to have come from the vicinity of Kareena Road and despite patrols of the area police could not find any trace of those involved. Police from Miranda Local Area Command are investigating both incidents and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Members of the public are reminded that high powered lasers are prohibited weapons and cannot be possessed without a permit.

US: Lodi CA man quickly captured thanks to airborne video

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-03T01:09:32-04:00

Lodi police released a video showing how a Lodi man was captured just four minutes after he began targeting a California Highway Patrol aircraft with a green laser pointer on April 29 2012. ...Switching to a high-resolution infrared camera moments later, the suspect can be clearly seen (white dot in center, just to the left of a house). The CHP aircraft had been searching for the source of laser beams aimed at airplanes flying over Lodi, when they were repeatedly illuminated by a green beam. By switching between a color camera that captured the beam, and a high-resolution infrared camera that showed a suspect, ground units were able to move in on the suspect. ...Brill told the arresting officer that the reason he pointed the laser at the aircraft was that "he liked watching the green color light and seeing how it sparkled.” The arrest report also said that Brill wanted "to use (the laser) as a reference point and see how far the laser beam could travel." ...A News10.net news report video is here; the raw video from the CHP helicopter is here as well as at the KCRA page.

US: 2 arrested for lasing Glendale CA police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-02T03:44:41-04:00

A Glendale, California police helicopter was illuminated by a red laser beam three times on April 27 2012. The beam was easily traced to two men in a home’s backyard. 18-year-old Dylan Chavez and 20-year-old Jason Phillips were arrested on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft. As of April 30, they were not charged under the new federal anti-laser law signed Feb. 14 by President Obama. From the La Cañada Valley Sun

Canada: 15 hours community service for March 2011 Winnipeg lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-05-01T03:53:02-04:00

Sheldon Friesen, 27, pleaded guilty on April 30 2012 to directing a bright light at an aircraft. He had lased a police helicopter three times on March 10 2011 with a laser pointer he purchased for 99 cents on eBay. He was sentenced to 15 hours community service work. He had faced a maximum penalty of CDN $100,000 and up to five years in prison. Friesen told the court he was testing the range of the laser and did not realize that aiming at a helicopter could be dangerous. The judge agreed, saying “You do seem like you were genuinely surprised by the consequences of your actions.” ...The original March 2011 story in LaserPointerSafety.com is here.

Canada: UPDATED - Police helicopter forced to land after repeated Class 3A laser attacks

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-04-23T13:13:13-04:00

A Durham Regional Police helicopter was forced to land after being repeatedly illuminated by a laser, later determined to be Class 3A (maximum power less than 5 milliwatts). ...He was released with no apparent damage, but a police spokesperson said it could take several days for damage to emerge. 20-year-old Melissa Perry of Uxbridge was arrested, and charged with lessening the ability of a crew member to perform duties, interfering with the duties of a crew member, projecting a bright light at an aircraft, mischief endangering life, assault with a weapon and common nuisance. ...Analysis from LaserPointerSafety.com: If the laser is really Class 3A (less than 5 mW maximum power), the pilot’s eyes were unharmed. ... (Global Toronto reported the helicopter was at 5000 feet, but that is very high for vandal surveillance; 500 feet is more reasonable.) ...The result of these factors is that a 5 mW laser would have to be within 16.4 feet of a person’s eyes before there was a 50/50 chance of causing a minimally detectable eye injury. ...UPDATE, NOVEMBER 2012: On September 21 2012, Perry pleaded guilty to one charge of violating the Aviation Act by shining a bright light at an aircraft.

Scotland: Glasgow man jailed for 9 months, for disrupting helicopter search

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-04-20T10:09:37-04:00

A 22-year-old Glasgow man was sentenced on April 19 2012 to nine months in jail for deliberately lasing a Strathclyde police helicopter on September 12 2009. Christopher Paton repeatedly aimed a 40 milliwatt green laser at the aircraft, over a period of about 10 minutes. The light dazzled the pilot and crew, and the flight path was adjusted. The laser was recorded by an on-board camera, enabling Paton’s house in Castlemilk to be pinpointed. The helicopter had been was searching for two lost 4-year-olds in Toryglen. After the search was completed, ground officers were notified. They found Paton in his back garden, where he admitted using the laser and was arrested.

US: UPDATED - Calif. teen charged under new federal law; faces 10 year prison term

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-04-19T00:58:43-04:00

Adam Gardenhire, 18, was charged on April 18 2012 with lasing a Cessna Citation jet and a Pasadena police helicopter on March 29, as previously reported on LaserPointerSafety.com. He was charged with two federal counts of aiming a “commercial grade”* green laser pointer at an aircraft, under a provision of the FAA reauthorization legislation signed by President Barack Obama in mid-February 2012. According to news reports, this is the second U.S. case where a person has been charged under the new law. ...Gardenhire had been arrested on state charges at his North Hollywood home about two hours after the March 29 lasing, and had been free on bail while the FBI and other authorities worked on the federal indictment. ...A post on Gardenhire’s Facebook page just before the federal charge said he was going to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in LA: “Twin towers tomorrow... ...An FBI spokeswoman told LaserPointerSafety.com that the term “was not a technical description but one to differentiate between a small personal laser one might use for an office presentation, as opposed to the kind used in the attack, which might be used for the grand opening of a department store or other commercial enterprise.” It is surprising to LaserPointerSafety.com that a teenager would have such a laser, which would require wall power (110 VAC) and would be bulky and thus harder to aim at an aircraft.

US: Laser aimed at medical helicopter in Ohio

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-04-05T04:12:51-04:00

A green laser was shined into the cockpit of a Life Flight medical helicopter as it flew near Findlay, Ohio on March 31 2012. There was no patient on the aircraft at the time. The laser did not cause any injury to the crew. According to a spokesperson for Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, pilots are trained to look away from laser beams. The FBI office in Lima, Ohio is investigating the incident. From ReviewTimes.com

US: Another Calif. teen lases another police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-04-02T23:09:59-04:00

One day after an 18-year-old was arrested in North Hollywood for lasing a jet and a police helicopter, a 16-year-old Glendale boy was arrested for illuminating a Glendale police helicopter with a green laser. The incident happened about 10 pm on March 30 2012, near Pacific Avenue and Ventura Freeway. The helicopter crew was able to track the laser and inform ground officers. A group of men were running into a home when the police arrived. The 16-year-old told officers he was aiming at the moon when the helicopter appeared in the beam path. He was booked for discharging a laser at an aircraft. The Glendale location is 7 miles east of the day-earlier North Hollywood location.

US: UPDATED - Calif. teen lases private jet, then police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-30T12:32:36-04:00

A teenager on March 29 2012 aimed a green laser first at a private jet landing at Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport, then at a Pasadena police helicopter looking for the laser source. The 18-year-old was quickly located and arrested in North Hollywood, about 1.5 miles from the airport. ...The teen was arrested at a location (A) about 1.5 miles from the airport (black square). ...UPDATED April 19 2012: Adam Gardenhire, 18, was charged on April 18 2012 with two federal counts of aiming a laser at an aircraft, in violation of a new law that took effect in mid-February. ... More details are in a LaserPointerSafety.com story. UPDATED March 26 2013: Gardenhire was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. ... More details are in a LaserPointerSafety.com story.

US: Jacksonville-area teens arrested for lasing Coast Guard helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-30T11:43:55-04:00

Two Jacksonville, Fl. area teenagers were arrested March 22 for illuminating the cabin of a Coast Guard helicopter. The Dauphin MH65D aircraft was operating near the suburb of Orange Park when it was lit up several times by a green laser. The pilots were able to determine the location of the laser, and report it to the Orange Park Sheriff’s Office. They arrested 18-year-old Devon Christopher Joyner and 16-year-old Kalib Taylor Hodge. Both were charged with misuse of a laser light on an aircraft. According to deputies, a witness had told the teens to stop lasing, because they were breaking the law. It is unknown whether this was told to them before or after they illuminated the helicopter.

US: UPDATED - Orlando man arrested for lasing aircraft 23 times in 3 months

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-27T10:24:44-04:00

Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Glenn Stephen Hansen (49, Orlando) with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. ... According to court documents, on at least 23 occasions between January 2012 and March 23, 2012, Hansen aimed the beam of a laser at passenger aircraft departing from the Orlando International Airport. The complaint alleges that the aiming of the laser at the departing aircraft caused pilots to take evasive maneuvers during takeoff, and placed the aircraft in danger during a critical time flight. According to one pilot allegedly struck by Hansen’s laser, the ascension of the plane is a delicate process, and blinding the pilot during takeoff distracts the pilot from critical flight duties, thereby placing passengers at great risk. ...This Act establishes a new criminal offense for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft. The statute was enacted in response to a growing number of incidents of pilots being distracted or even temporarily blinded by laser beams. A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

UK: UPDATED - Bristol man tried for forcing police helicopter to land after laser dazzle

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-23T18:04:54-04:00

A police helicopter pilot had impaired vision from a green laser pen, forcing him to land “at the nearest possible opportunity” in a December 3 2012 incident in the Hartcliffe district of Bristol. On March 20 2012, 31-year-old Stuart Bowering pleaded guilty to negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. ...He told officers he had borrowed the laser pen and did not realize the beam would reach to the helicopter. ...Update April 10 2012: Bowering avoided jail “by a whisker” according to the judge, who sentenced him to a 12-month community order. He must attend a Thinking and Skills course, has a 90-day curfew between 9 pm and 6:30 am, and has to repay £200 in court costs. The judge said Bowering had been using the laser to play with his dogs, when he aimed it into the air. ... The pilot told the court that he had “temporary black spots” in his vision which almost caused him to stray into Bristol Airport’s airspace, which could have caused the diversion of a commercial flight that was on approach.

US: Man with "red beam" in glasses tries to enter cockpit

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-20T04:48:46-04:00

A man dressed strangely and acting suspiciously demanded to see the pilot of his American Airlines flight, about 15 minutes after takeoff from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on March 16 2012. Passenger Lori Barber said “he was wearing two pairs of glasses, one with a red beam coming out of the lens.” ...Although a Gizmodo headline said the man wore “laser glasses”, the word “laser” was not used in the original CBS DFW story used as Gizmodo’s source. ...A Google Image search for “laser glasses” and “laser pointer glasses” turned up one type of laser-emitting glasses but these have a different design: thick rims with a silver laser embedded above the nose. An eBay search turned up a similar pair; these do not appear to match either of the man’s glasses. A search for LED (non-laser) glasses turned up a few with thick temples and a white area near the hinge, such as this pair and this pair, both of which emit a broad beam of white light: However, LaserPointerSafety.com was unable to find commercially-sold glasses that emit red light and which look like one of the two pairs shown in Barber’s photo.

UK: Laser charges dropped against 3 Bristol teens due to lack of evidence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-20T04:16:00-04:00

Charges against three Bristol-area teenagers for aiming a laser beam at a police helicopter were dropped March 19 2012, due to a “lack of sufficient evidence.” The three had been accused of directing or shining a light at an aircraft so as to dazzle or distract the pilot, in the February 14 2012 incident. Released were 19-year-olds Mitchell Saint of Hartcliffe and Daniel Nurse of Fishponds, and 18-year-old Daniel Evans of Speedwell. From This is Bristol

US: Sacramento-area man arrested St. Patrick's Day for shining green laser at CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-19T16:04:54-04:00

A 49-year-old man was arrested March 17 2012 for aiming a green laser beam at a California Highway Patrol helicopter as it flew over the Sacramento area. The crew was able to direct Sheriff’s patrol units to an apartment in Carmichael, about 8 miles from downtown Sacramento, where David Sughroue was found with a laser pointer. David Sughroue He was arrested on a felony charge of discharging a laser at an aircraft. Bail was set at $50,000. From CBS Sacramento and News 10 ABC

UK: Keighley man arrested; new calls for laser pen regulations

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-17T16:17:42-04:00

The West Yorkshire police helicopter “X99” was lased a number of times as it flew over Keighley. Although there may have been two persons involved, police arrested one man, 23, in the March 15 2012 incident. The arrest led to renewed calls for laser regulations in the U.K. (see related LaserPointerSafety.com news story). From the Bradford Telegraph and Argus

UK: UPDATED - Slap on wrist for 2 men who prevented medical helicopter from landing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-15T17:23:59-04:00

Two Chippenham men who admitted lasing a medical helicopter so it could not land to pick up a heart attack patient, were fined £278 each and were given a conditional discharge -- no punishment if no further offense is committed -- on March 12 2012. Late in the evening of September 7 2011, 21-year-olds Alex Cox and Luke Fortune aimed a green laser at an air ambulance trying to land in Calne. ...An ambulance was called to pick up the patient, a man in his 70’s suffering a heart attack. It took 25 minutes to reach the Great Western Hospital in Swindon by road; it would have been 10 minutes by air. According to the ambulance service, it was “unlikely” that the helicopter would have been able to reach the hospital in time to save the man. Cox and Fortune pleaded guilty to directing or shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. ...A Daily Mail article about the case has a sidebar listing four “laser pen pests” who received sentences from four to eight months, in cases ranging over the April-November 2011 timeframe.

US: Kentucky teen, drinking, aims laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-15T05:19:57-04:00

A 19-year-old Kentucky man, Juan Luis Gomez, was arrested for shining a green laser pointer at a Lexington Police Department helicopter on March 9, 2012. The pilot and two officers in the helicopter were temporarily blinded. According to police, Gomez had been drinking before the incident. He was charged with wanton endangerment. Juan Luis Gomez From Lex18.com

Northern Ireland: Two separate laser incidents lead to three arrests

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-14T05:27:58-04:00

Two teenagers were charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft, after aiming a laser pen at a Police Service of Northern Ireland helicopter at 8:45 pm on March 12 2012. The aircraft was over north Belfast at the time. The two 17-year-olds will appear in Belfast Youth Court in April. Less than three hours later, a laser was aimed at an aircraft in Glenavy, County Antrim. A male was arrested. From 2 separate BBC News reports here and here

US: Man admits knowing laser would blind Phoenix police pilots

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-12T05:46:19-04:00

A Phoenix man who aimed a laser at a police helicopter on March 10 2012 said he knew that the laser would blind the pilots. The helicopter crew was able to direct ground officers to the man’s location. Mario Michel, 25, was arrested on two felony counts of endangerment and a city of Phoenix misdemeanor warrant. Mario Michel From MyFoxPhoenix, ABC15.com and AZfamily.com

UK: Six months of treatment ordered for drunken Derbyshire man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-03-05T05:52:17-05:00

A 23-year-old man was sentenced on March 5 2012 to six months in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered to have six months of treatment for drinking problems, after pleading guilty to shining a green laser pen on a Derbyshire police helicopter in a January 2 2012 incident. Ricky Kemp of Shirebrook caused a “minor irritation” to the pilot, the first time Kemp lased the helicopter. The pilot continued to an incident, but then was lased again by Kemp while returning to police headquarters. The pilot was able to identify Kemp’s location, and directed ground units who made an arrest. Kemp pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering an aircraft and the people inside. From This is Derbyshire

Australia: New Year's Eve laser draws no jail term for Taiwan tourist

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-28T09:44:42-05:00

On December 31 2011, a tourist from Taiwan aimed a laser pointer at a police helicopter hovering over Bradfield Park in Sydney. ...At his sentencing on February 28 2012, Chang said, “I didn't do that deliberately, it was totally reckless behavior and I didn't realize the serious consequences at all.” He had previously used a laser pointer in his work in Taiwan as a tour guide. The judge agreed the act was not malicious but said it was “extremely dangerous” and Chang had to receive a prison sentence. ...On a charge of threatening safety of an aircraft, Chang was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended on condition of paying AUD $200 and entering into a 12-month good behavior bond. On a charge of pointing a laser in public, Chang received four months prison; this was also suspended. ...He said he was grateful for the suspended sentence, thanking the judge and the Australian government.

UK: 2 Bedford teens sentenced in lasing of helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-26T05:12:19-05:00

Two Bedford-area teenagers were given a 12-month referral order for a November 12 2011 incident in which they aimed a green laser pen at a police helicopter “to see how far it would reach.” The pilot partially lost his vision during the incident, which caused the flight to break off from its patrol mission. Ground officers arrested a 13- and a 17-year-old. The prosecutor said if tried as adults, the two could have served a 1-year sentence. In addition to the 12-month referral, the youths were told to write an apology letter to the pilot, were fined £85 in court costs, and had their laser pen destroyed. From Bedfordshire On Sunday

UK: UPDATED - 3 Bristol teens in jail after shining laser on police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-14T08:45:44-05:00

Three teenagers from the Hillfields area of Bristol were arrested February 14 2012 for shining laser light on a police helicopter. ...The Chief Superintendent of Avon and Somerset Police said “Anyone who shines a laser at an aircraft performs a dangerous and reckless act. These people have no consideration for the safety of the aircraft or its crew. When a laser is directed at any aircraft it puts life at risk and in the case of the police helicopter hinder the apprehension of offenders and delay the investigation of crime. In 2010 there were 90 reported laser hits against aircraft and last year more than 100 incidents involving aircraft and vehicles. ... Those who use the pens … need to know that they face arrest and possible prosecution if they are caught.” ...UPDATE, March 19 2012: Charges against the three teenagers were dropped, due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Northern Ireland: Londonderry man arrested for aiming laser pen at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-14T08:42:00-05:00

A 20-year-old Londonderry man was arrested February 11 2012 for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter. The unnamed man was arrested for an offense under the Air Navigation Order, and also for a separate count of possession of a Class B substance, according to a police spokesperson. From the Derry Journal

New Zealand: Laser aimed at helicopter during training flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-13T08:16:27-05:00

A Helicopters Otago pilot was dazzled twice by a green laser on February 8 2012 as he flew a training flight over Mosgiel. The pilot and his instructor broke off the training session to try and locate the source. They could not determine the exact location. Although police were notified, ground units also could not find the perpetrator. The pilot said that shining the light in his eyes had potential to cause a crash. From the Otago Daily Times

UK: Four month sentence for teen who flashblinded a helicopter pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-11T19:15:45-05:00

An 18-year-old pleaded guilty on January 12 2012 to willful obstruction of a police helicopter pilot in the execution of his duty, and of recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or person in an aircraft. On February 10 2012 the teenager was sentenced to a four month detention and training order. ...On September 27 2011, a police helicopter was searching for suspects when a laser pen was aimed at it for about 10 minutes. ... Dean Riley, of Cator Cresent, New Addington in the London Borough of Croydon was arrested by ground officers. ... The top of the laser pen was found in his pocket. Four months for aiming a laser at a helicopter During sentencing, Riley’s lawyer described him as “extremely remorseful and regretful” and said Riley wanted to apologize.

US: UPDATED - St. Louis area man indicted for Nov. 2011 illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-09T05:40:22-05:00

Brian David Monday, 30, of St. Charles Missouri was indicted February 6 2012 for aiming a green laser at aircraft in November 2011. Monday was charged with one count of interfering with an airplane and a helicopter. The maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Monday is president and CEO of Monday Restaurants LLC, according to STLtoday. ...Louis and STLtoday. The original LaserPointerSafety.com news item is here.

New Zealand: UPDATED - 2 teens appear in court for May 2011 laser illuminations

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-08T19:17:46-05:00

Two New Zealanders who aimed a laser at the Eagle police helicopter in May 2011, will go to trial soon. On February 8 2012, Michael Joshua O’Hare-Knight , 20, and James John Spiers, 18, applied for a discharge without conviction, but this was denied by Auckland District Court judge Allison Sinclair. Their next court date was set for March 13 2012. Both were teenagers at the time of the laser illumination. UPDATE, NOVEMBER 2012: The two were found guilty on November 10, 2012 according to the New Zealand Herald. It was not stated why the trial was moved from March 13 to November. ...This is an updated story; the original LaserPointerSafety.com news item from May 2011 is here.

US: 16-year-old arrested in San Diego for two laser pointing incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-02-03T23:03:09-05:00

A 16-year-old boy was arrested by San Diego police, after two incidents of a red laser being pointed at a police helicopter. The first happened January 18 2012, in the Shelltown neighborhood. Ground officers were not able to find the source of the laser. The same crew was patrolling eight days later, and was illuminated from the same location. This time, a teenager was arrested in a backyard. He was charged with one count of discharging a laser at an aircraft. From the San Diego Union Tribune and 10News.com

New Zealand: UPDATED - Teen targeted three airliners and a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-27T17:24:35-05:00

Three commercial aircraft were illuminated by a green laser beam while on final approach to Auckland International Airport on January 26 2012. The police helicopter Eagle was sent to investigate and was also lit by a laser. ...18-year-old Pravikash Chandra was arrested and charged with four counts of endangering transport. ...A spokesperson for the Eagle said the crew had lasers pointed at them “all the time. It happens fairly often and it’s a risk to the crew.” ...UPDATE July 18 2012: Chandra pleaded guilty to all four charges of endangering transport. ... A report on the laser’s characteristics, applications, place of purchase and use instructions will be prepared for the judge.

US: UPDATED - Virginia man pleads guilty to laser interference with police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-26T02:29:00-05:00

A 28-year-old man pleaded guilty on January 25 2012 to a felony of “interfering with a person engaged in authorized operation of an aircraft” by aiming a green laser multiple times at a Virginia Beach police helicopter. During the 20-minute long November 1 2011 incident, one of the pilots was hit in the left eye. ... Three times, the helicopter had to interrupt its mission of following a suspect, due to the laser attack. ...Christopher Bryan Willingham, of Virginia Beach, said at a press conference after his guilty plea that “It was reckless disregard of the safety. ...At the press conference, the commander of nearby Naval Air Station Oceana said they are frustrated with laser incidents. There were 13 reports of lasers being used near the base in 2011, plus four reports between January 1 and 25, 2012. ...UPDATE May 19 2012: On May 18, Willingham was fined $5,000 and was sentenced in federal court to five years probation.

US: UPDATED - Clark Gable's grandson final sentence: 10 days in jail, 3 years probation

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-12T14:36:35-05:00

Clark Gable III, grandson of the famed actor, was officially sentenced on January 12 2012 to 10 days in jail plus three years probation. He received one day’s credit for time already served. He pleaded guilty on December 8 2011 for aiming a green laser pointer three times at a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter in July. Gable had been expected to receive 200 hours on a work crew, in addition to the jail time. The TMZ.com report did not mention the 200 hours. From TMZ.com and the Los Angeles Times. LaserPointerSafety.com has additional stories about Gable’s July 28 2011 lasing incident, his August 26 arraignment and his December 8 guilty plea.

Canada: 2 laserings of commercial airplanes in 2 months, near Victoria BC

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-12T11:41:20-05:00

A green laser beam was pointed at a WestJet flight landing in Victoria (BC) on January 10 2012. Pilots did not look directly at the light. This was the second report of a laser being pointed at a commercial airliner in two months, according to Saanich police. A CTV video report goes into more detail about the incident: From CTV News

US: Time served - 7 months - for Bakersfield CA man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-11T12:28:17-05:00

A Bakersfield (CA) man was sentenced to time served, for aiming a green laser at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Jeffrey Lee Gentry, 33, had been in jail seven months. At his January 9 2012 sentencing he was also ordered to be on probation for one year. Gentry could have received a fine of up to $250,000 and up to 20 years in prison. During the November 6 2010 incident, the helicopter was flying 500 feet above the ground when hit four times by the laser beam. The pilot said he had spots in his eyes for a few seconds. They were disoriented and were forced off course, according to a March 3 2011 press release from the U.S. District Attorney’s office in Fresno.

South Africa: Three arrested in airport, Air Force base incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-11T12:14:13-05:00

Three persons were arrested around January 5-6 2012, for aiming green laser beams at helicopters using Bloemfontein Airport and the adjacent Air Force Base Bloemspruit. A 54-year-old man, his 14-year-old son, and a 22-year-old friend were charged with violating Section 133 of the Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009. Specifically, “Section (j) (i) of the said Act states that any person who wilfully performs any act which jeopardises or may jeopardise the operation of an air carrier is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment not exceeding 30 years or to both such fine and imprisonment” said a spokesperson ...There had been concern over local airspace due to a January 8 political event at Free State Stadium with over 100,000 persons in attendance. The laser incident appears to be unrelated to a temporary Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) requiring general aviation and recreation pilots to file flight plans in advance. ...According to a separate story in The New Age, this was only the second time that arrests have been made in South Africa for aiming lasers at aircraft. The first was in May 2010 during a World Cup event.

UK: Teen arrested for Wolverhampton laser pen illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-09T23:55:45-05:00

A teenager from Wolverhampton was arrested for aiming a laser pen onto a West Midlands Police helicopter that was over Wolverhampton on January 8 2012. The 18-year-old was charged with recklessly acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or person in an aircraft. He will appear in court on January 18. From BBC News

US: Arizona teen arrested for lasing rescue helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-07T15:14:08-05:00

A 14-year-old was arrested for shining a laser four times on a Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff’s Office helicopter that was rescuing lost hikers. The helicopter was hit on January 6 2012, after returning the hikers to their automobile. The crew identified the source and directed ground officers to a house in Surprise, a town located 20 miles northwest of Phoenix, where four juveniles were found with a laser pointer. Apparently they had also been aiming the laser at cars on a nearby road. After investigation, the 14-year-old was arrested on a felony charge of endangerment. Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio issued a statement that “this person could have seriously injured my employees and put more lives at risk.” From AZcentral.com and AZfamily.com

Scotland: Police ask for help finding Glasgow Airport laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-06T14:12:24-05:00

Central Scotland Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the person who aimed a “powerful” green laser into the cockpit of a 34-seat propeller plane. The January 3 2012 laser incident happened as a Loganair flight was preparing to land at Glasgow Airport. A police spokesperson said there was no injury, damage or flight disruption. The police telephone number to call with information is 01786 456000. The Saab C40 aircraft was passing Strathblane (red open circle) when it was lased. The ground distance is about 8.5 miles from Glasgow Airport (green triangle). From STV.com

US: Laser leads Glendora police to illegal drugs

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-04T11:50:04-05:00

A man riding in a car aimed a green laser at a police helicopter. When ground units were sent to arrest the man, they also discovered the driver had under a gram of methamphetamine. ...The police helicopter was near Citrus College when it was hit three or four times by a green laser beam aimed from a car. Ground officers stopped the car, found a laser pointer and arrested the passenger Jerrod Ferren, 31. He was charged with suspicion of using a laser light at the helicopter, and was held on $20,000 bail. During the stop, driver William Dixon, 26, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence, and for possession of a controlled substance. ...UPDATE: On January 4, Los Angeles TV channel KABC ran a two-minute segment about the Glendora laser arrest, and about laser illuminations in general:

US: Florida man arrested for New Year's Eve laser tracking

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2012-01-02T13:47:09-05:00

Jordan Johnston, 36, spent New Year 2012 in custody for tracking a helicopter with a green laser beam. The helicopter, shared by Gainesville (Florida) police and the local Sheriff’s office, was hit by the laser after only a few minutes in the air. The laser beam was traced back to a home where New Year’s Eve fireworks were being set off. Johnston told police he was trying to aim the laser through the fireworks smoke. However, a police spokesperson said the helicopter was “continually followed … through the flight path.” It is about 1/2 mile from the helicopter’s location when it was hit (open red circle) to the home where Johnston was arrested (black square), in north Gainesville. Johnston was arrested for a third-degree felony, misuse of a laser device.

Australia: UPDATED - Laser pen aimed at police during New Year's Eve festivities

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-31T23:05:19-05:00

A “high-powered” laser pointer was aimed at a Sydney police helicopter during a New Years Eve 2011 celebration in Bradfield Park. ...The 27-year-old native of Taiwan was charged with threatening the safety of aircraft and the possession of a laser pointer in a public space. ...UPDATE, January 23 2012 -- Yu-Wei Chang pleaded guilty to threatening the safety of an aircraft, and to possessing a laser pointer in a public place. ... He did not know it was illegal to possess lasers in New South Wales or to aim at an aircraft. ... The judge said she needed to get more information about similar cases in Australia, and to consider options other than imprisonment. ...UPDATE 2, February 28 2012 - Chang was sentenced to three months in prison on one charge, and four months on another charge. Both prison terms were suspended on condition of paying AUS $200 and entering into a 12-month good behavior bond.

US: Teen may be charged in Pasadena laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-29T09:57:54-05:00

A Pasadena (California) police helicopter was illuminated twice by laser light on December 28 2011 as it flew over Altadena. The pilot was able to locate the source. Ground officers identified a 15-year-old, who told them he was aiming at the helicopter. ...No arrest was made that evening, but police will be speaking with the parents (who were not home at the time). Misdemeanor or felony charges may be filed. If a misdemeanor, the penalty could be up to a year in jail and/or a $1000 fine. If a felony, the penalty could be from 16 to 36 months in state prison and/or a $2000 fine.

US: Ventura County helicopter ends search due to laser danger

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-29T09:43:54-05:00

A Ventura County (California) Sheriff’s Department helicopter broke off a search for a gang shooting suspect, after being illuminated two times by a laser beam. The December 27 2011 incident began as the aircraft was hovering 500 feet above the crime scene in Fillmore. ... The helicopter returned to the crime scene where a laser was once again pointed at them. ...A sheriff’s department spokesperson said there had been several previous laser illuminations of the helicopter in Fillmore. He was unsure whether the Dec. 27 incident was related, but said “I would hope they are related, because if they are not, that would mean there is more than one person doing it.” ...The Ventura County Star story does not state how deputies linked Phillips with the previous evening’s lasing of the sheriff’s department helicopter. It is about 1600 feet (ground distance) from the helicopter location (open red circle) to Phillips’ home where he was arrested (black square).

UK: Arrest for aiming laser at police helicopter in Sheffield

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-24T22:40:24-05:00

A South Yorkshire Police helicopter was “continually” targeted by a green laser beam, on December 24 2011. The pilot directed officers on the ground, who arrested an unnamed man. The airborne officers had been assisting a search for vandals who damaged cars; the offenders were located by a police dog. From the Sheffield Telegraph

UK: West Mercia police helicopter hit twice in one night

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-19T23:55:09-05:00

The Shropshire Star reports that the West Mercia police helicopter was targeted twice by laser pens, in separate incidents early in the morning of December 17 2011. The first one occurred as the crew was investigating a burglary in Telford. ... (It is not clear whether any subsequent action will be taken against the unnamed man.) ...It is not known if anyone was arrested for lasing the aircraft during this occurrence. A Telford Police spokeswoman was quoted as saying “Police will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. ... Anyone found participating in such behaviour will be arrested and dealt with.” On their Twitter feed, the air crew said that persons on the ground don’t realize how easy it is to find them: “It’s just like the bat signal.

Pakistan: Terror alert issued; lasers mentioned as possible attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-15T20:32:10-05:00

Pakistani airports and other public institutions are on a heightened terror alert as of December 15 2011. The general manager of the Airport Security Force (ASF) said there is a threat against airports similar to the July 2001 attack on Sri Lanka’s airport . Anti-air defense systems have been deployed and snipers have been stationed. Laser attacks were mentioned as a possibility by the ASF manager. An Italian-language news source said “police have arrested several suspects in October for trying to bring down a plane of the flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Lahore to Quetta by using a large laser projector. But the pilot managed to divert the course and avert disaster.” ...From Pakistan Today and the Italian-language Blitz Quotidiano

US: Long Island man arrested after aiming laser at plane, then police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-11T12:13:02-05:00

Trying to reconcile accounts, it appears the plane was lased 5 miles northwest of MacArthur Airport at 3,000 feet altitude (Newsday, CBS New York), while traveling east to Republic Airport where it would land (New York Post). ...James) and the approximate position of the airplane (green symbol with triangle) if it was 5 miles northwest of MacArthur Airport. The plane would be about 2 miles from Smith’s house, and 15 miles from Republic Airport. The green position is consistent with the majority of laser illuminations, where the beam source is within a few miles (ground distance) from an aircraft. At that distance, it would not take much laser power to be a hazard. Specifically, a green 5 milliwatt “legal” laser pointer poses a distraction hazard up to about 2.2 miles away. From the New York Post, New York Daily News, Newsday, the Wall Street Journal, CBS New York and NBC NewYork

US: UPDATED - Clark Gable's grandson pleads guilty; likely to get 10 days in jail and 200 work hours

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-08T22:41:18-05:00

Clark Gable’s grandson pleads guilty to pointing a laser at an aircraft LOS ANGELES – The grandson of actor Clark Gable pleaded guilty today [December 8 2011] to pointing a green laser at an LAPD helicopter flying over Hollywood Boulevard last July, the District Attorney’s office announced. Clark James Gable, 23, pleaded guilty to one felony count of discharge of a laser at an occupied aircraft before Superior Court Judge David Horwitz. ...Gable, of Canoga Park, admitted that while a passenger in a car traveling down La Brea Avenue on July 28, he flashed a laser three times at an LAPD helicopter that was flying 800 feet above Hollywood Boulevard. ...Harpham said the 52-milliwatt laser light – which has a range of over 1,000 feet in altitude -- obstructed the vision of the two LAPD officers in the helicopter. ...However, prosecutors declined to file on Anderson due to insufficient evidence that he was aware the laser was being pointed at the helicopter. In exchange for his guilty plea today, prosecutors will ask that two additional felony counts of discharge of a laser and one count of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury will be dismissed at sentencing.

UK: Hatfield man charged with laser pen hit on police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-02T10:19:40-05:00

A 29-year-old Hatfield man was arrested for aiming a green laser at a police helicopter on November 28 2011. The laser hit occurred in Iver, a town about 20 miles west of London. The unnamed man was charged with directing or shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. A hearing is set for December 12. The red “A” marks Hollow Hill Lane in Iver, site of the laser incident. The site is 4 miles northwest of Heathrow Airport. From Bucks Free Press

UK: 21-year-old Hertfordshire man given "conditional discharge" after lasing helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-01T22:04:17-05:00

A 21-year-old from Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire was found guilty November 29 2011 of endangering an aircraft. Charlie Baker had aimed a laser pen at a police helicopter on November 18 2011. In St Albans Magistrates Court, he received a conditional discharge of 12 months. If Baker does not commit any other offense in that time period, his conviction will be stricken from the criminal record. Baker also paid court costs of £85, and forfeited his laser pen. From the Watford Observer and Wikipedia “Discharge” article, England and Wales section

Canada: B.C. man arrested 7 1/2 months after helicopter lasing incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-12-01T19:34:41-05:00

On April 15 2011, a laser was pointed at a Royal Canadian Mounted Police helicopter in Vancouver, B.C. ...On December 1 2011, Alexander William Schiller of Langley, B.C. was arrested for the crime. The 30-year-old was charged under the Aeronautics Act with endangering an aircraft by interfering with a crew member, and by creating an airspace hazard. ...It is unclear what caused the delay in arresting Schiller, or the delay in bringing him to trial. ...Catherines Street, where Schiller is alleged to have aimed a laser pointer at an RCMP helicopter. According to a CBC report, “only a handful” of Canadians have been prosecuted. A pilot spokesperson was quoted as saying “The justice system is sort of behind the times on this.”

Australia: UPDATED - Video shows Sept. arrest of Hampton Park man given AUD $3500 fine

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-28T09:59:52-05:00

He pointed a green laser, which he had bought on vacation in Malaysia, at the helicopter which was 2 km away. ...player=narrow" width="330" height="335" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no">

...On November 24 2011 Nguyen pleaded guilty to interfering with an aircraft crew member, and to possessing and importing a prohibited weapon into Victoria. ... Nguyen’s lawyer said his client was sorry: “You won’t get more genuine remorse … this was a spontaneous act of stupidity…”. ...At the hearing, his lawyer said Nguyen’s drunken actions were “spontaneous and stupid” and he had never intended to deliberately shine the laser into the cockpit. ... However, the appeals judge was amazed that a “smart, talented and highly regarded person could commit acts with such potential for disaster.” The judge noted there were “unthinkable consequences” from the September 3 2011 lasing, and he was therefore obligated to convict Nguyen due to the seriousness of the incident.

Russia: Laser flashblinds 737 crew landing in Krasnodar

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-23T16:35:36-05:00

A laser flashblinded the crew of a Boeing 737 carrying 89 passengers, as it landed in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar on November 21 2011. No injuries were reported. Although police “identified the spot where the attack came from”, no one has been arrested. From The Moscow Times

US: Man arrested after laser "blacks out" pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-16T13:03:05-05:00

Jorge Garcia of Lehigh Acres, Florida (near Fort Myers) was arrested November 15 2011 for aiming a laser at a Lee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Two pilots had been searching for suspects in a shooting, when a green laser was pointed at them. According to a news report, the pilots “had been wearing night vision goggles, when the first pilot sustained injury from the laser and ‘blacked out’. “ The laser continued to be aimed at the aircraft for two minutes, until ground units arrived. Garcia was arrested after officers questioned three people found at a residence. Garcia told deputies he thought the lasing was a joke. Jorge Garcia, charged with one count of pointing a laser light at a driver or pilot, causing injury.

US: "Stupid" Florida man arrested after helicopter breaks off landing approach

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-11T20:24:56-05:00

Bradley Walker, 26, was arrested November 9 2011 after he aimed a green laser at a sheriff’s helicopter. The Citrus County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office deputies were on final approach to Inverness Airport when they were temporarily flashblinded. The pilot had to remove his night vision goggles and broke off the landing by banking to the left. ...The laser continued to shine on the helicopter. The other deputy reported the laser location to ground units, who arrested Walker. According to the arrest report, when asked why he did it, Walker said he was “just being stupid” and apologized. He was charged with misuse of a laser lighting device.

Scotland: Police fail to arrest man who lased RAF helicopter during search operation

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-11T07:47:55-05:00

Police failed to charge a man who aimed a green laser at an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter in Cowdenbeath, Scotland on November 4 2011. The Sea King was searching for a missing man when the cockpit was illuminated. The pilot reported the location and ground units were sent. Police found the perpetrator, but did not arrest him. The man claimed he had not been aiming at the helicopter but instead was playing with it in his garden. ...A Fife councillor said “It’s disturbing. Some action should have been taken against the individual and I will be making enquiries…” The local member of Scottish Parliament said she found it “absolutely astounding” that the man was not charged with a serious offense.

US: Lasers hit 4 planes at LaGuardia Friday, 2 more Saturday

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-07T18:06:40-05:00

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is asking for leads in six laser incidents involving aircraft landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Friday Nov. 4 and Saturday Nov. 5, 2011. The green laser beams came from an area roughly five miles southwest of the airport (area circled in red on map below). ...On Saturday, a commuter jet and a Boeing 757 were illuminated around 7:00 pm. ...Aviation expert John Trepani said the clustering of the incidents was troubling: “That’s unusual and highly disturbing. Do we have people fooling around or do we have people who have bad intentions to airliners using a sighting, using a laser as a sighter, a weapon’s sighter, just to see the reaction, just to see if Homeland Security takes this seriously?” Trepani was also troubled by the fact that all aircraft landed on Runway 4, which CBS called “one of the most difficult runways at LaGuardia” (although this claim was disputed by a pilot in the comments). ...LaserPointerSafety.com has a page about how to report laser incidents; the page includes FAA contact information.

Australia: Hamilton laser aimed at Brisbane aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-04T18:56:13-04:00

A laser beam was pointed in the direction of aircraft landing at Brisbane Airport, on November 4 2011. Apparently the beam did not illuminate the aircraft or pilots. An Airservices Australia spokesperson said the beam came from an area in Hamilton. Hamilton, the source of the laser beam, is about four miles from the end of Brisbane Airport’s main runway From News.com.au, as viewed on a Google cached page

US: St. Louis area man arrested for aiming at plane, helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-04T18:45:42-04:00

A 30-year-old man was arrested for aiming a green laser at an airplane and a police helicopter on November 4 2011. The incident took place in St. Charles County, about 20 miles northwest of St. ... Police directed to the suspect’s house found him with a laser in his hand. ...From STLtoday.com and STLtoday.com incident reports UPDATE February 9 2012: Brian David Monday was indicted on one felony count of interfering with an airplane and a helicopter. The LaserPointerSafety.com news item is here.

UK: 16-year-old girl from Worthing arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-01T13:18:50-04:00

A 16-year-old girl from Worthing was arrested October 31 2011 for endangering an aircraft with a laser. The South East Air Support Unit police helicopter was searching for a missing person when they were illuminated by a laser beam. The pilot and spotter located the source and called ground units. The teen was arrested with the laser. From the Worthing Herald

UK: Teens given 4-month sentence in north Hull laser attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-11-01T01:27:54-04:00

Two teenagers were sentenced to four months in jail for a “stupid [and] extremely dangerous” lasing of a police helicopter over north Hull. Benjamin Ireland; four months in jail Benjamin Ireland and Ryan Whybrow, both 19 years old, looked stunned as the judge sent them to young offenders’ institutes. The two were at a party and were drinking when they decided to point green laser pens at a police helicopter “for a laugh”. The pilot and crew were flashblinded by repeated and continued illumination. ... Ground units directed to the location arrested Ireland and Whybrow. ...At sentencing, the judge said he was sending “a very clear message … to anybody else who is minded to behave in this way.”

UK: Teen would not aim his laser at cars due to crash hazard, but felt helicopters were different

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-29T10:51:35-04:00

A U.K. teenager who told court he did not aim his green laser pen at a car “because it would probably make it crash” was sentenced to five months for instead aiming at a helicopter. According to the prosecutor, 18-year-old Jordan Burnett “did not apply the same logic to the helicopter because it was too far away.” ...An Essex police helicopter was flying over Chattenden when it was illuminated by green laser light in an “accurate and sustained attack.” ... The beam was traced to Burnett’s home in Chattenden. ... He said he had not believed the beam would reach that far. Burnett pled guilty to recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. ... The sentencing judge said Burnett’s actions could have been potentially disastrous and devastating.

New Zealand: UPDATED - Laser charges dropped because of "good character"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-27T11:54:07-04:00

A New Zealand man had charges of endangering transport dropped because of his “good character” and personal circumstances. James Paul Burton had been arrested for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter in December 2010. He was 19 at the time of his arrest. His lawyer successfully argued that a conviction put Burton’s career plans at risk, as well as his application for New Zealand residency. The judge agreed, stating that the consequences for Burton outweighed the seriousness of the charges. Charges were dropped on October 25 2011. ...LaserPointerSafety.com previously reported on Burton’s case on September 17 2011.

US: Man charged in Detroit area helicopter incident; faces 20 years

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-27T11:26:41-04:00

Dennis Berthiaume was charged on October 26 2011 with aiming a green laser at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter pilot on August 25 2011. The pilot was momentarily startled and distracted by the first illumination, and was disoriented by a second strike in the eyes. An agent on the helicopter was also hit in the eyes, became disoriented and saw spots; subsequently seeking medical treatment. The agent directed ground officers to Berthiaume’s home in Madison Heights, Michigan. He later told officers that he had used the laser three times, then hid it in a bedroom dresser after seeing the helicopter spotlight on his house. Berthiaume faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail. From the Detroit News

UK: Merseyside man charged in laser pen attack (UPDATE: 4-month sentence)

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-27T09:56:22-04:00

21-year-old David Checkley of Newton-le-Willows, was charged with recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft by St Helens police. On October 22 2011, a police air support helicopter was lased at about 1200 feet. Cameras in the craft identified Checkley’s house. Ground units found a four-inch long black laser pen. Checkley will face the St Helens Magistrates’ Court in November. ...UPDATE November 23 2011: Checkley pleaded guilty to “acting recklessly or negligently in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft”. He was sentenced to four months in jail, and his laser pen was destroyed by police.

Canada: Man arrested for aiming at Calgary police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-25T12:35:17-04:00

David Palvialok, 35, was arrested for aiming a green laser beam at a police helicopter on October 25 2011. Calgary police were responding to a disturbance when they saw the beam. They tracked the laser and arrested Palvialok. He was charged with obstructing a peace officer, mischief, endangering the safety of an aircraft in flight, and creating a hazard to aviation safety. From 660 News and CBC News

Pakistan: Pilot distracted for 15 minutes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-22T12:12:02-04:00

A Pakistan International Airlines Airbus flight was flashed by a red laser beam for more than 15 minutes, while on final approach to Benazir Bhutto Airport on October 20 2011. The pilot told air traffic control he was distracted by the light which came from Mandra, about 25 miles south of the airport in Rawalpindi. The airport manager said he would contact police, to try to find the person who tracked the aircraft with the laser. From Dawn.com

UK: Teen jailed for 6 months for laser attack on commercial flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-20T22:27:54-04:00

A 19-year-old, whose lawyer said he had learning difficulties and was “immature,” was sentenced on October 20 2011 to six months in jail after pleading guilty to lasing a police helicopter. On September 11 2011, the West Midlands Air Support helicopter was sent to investigate a report of a commercial flight that had been illuminated by a green laser. The police crew was themselves dazzled by a green laser, aimed from a car on the ground. They directed ground units to the car where Wayne Junior French was sitting. ...The presiding judge in Birmingham Crown Court said French would have had a much longer sentence if convicted of dazzling the commercial flight. He said “I have no doubt at the time you didn’t think through what you were doing but it was a plainly deliberate act.” French’s lawyer said French “does express genuine remorse and is absolutely terrified about custody.

US: Fort Worth teen given misdemeanor ticket for lasing air ambulance

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-20T21:46:15-04:00

A CareFlite medical helicopter was lased by a teenager as it took off from a hospital in Fort Worth to return to its base. The pilot was temporarily blinded but was able to hover over the area to direct officers to the laser beam’s location. A teenager was apprehended. He was given a Class C misdemeanor ticket. From MyFOXdfw.com

Canada: Family turns in child for aiming laser pointer at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-20T01:51:09-04:00

A family in Severn Township, Ontario, admitted that they were responsible for an October 7 2011 incident when an Ontario Provincial Police helicopter was twice struck by a green laser beam. A crew member saw the beam in the sky and warned the pilot before the laser directly illuminated the cockpit. ...The family came forward after police asked for the public’s assistance in finding the source of the beam. The family said they had just bought the laser pointer, and one of the younger children was pointing it into the sky. The said there was no intent to cause a problem and they now know better. Because there was no criminal intent, no charges were brought. ...The paper also carried an earlier article describing the incident and how police were looking for the laser source.

US: Santa Ana man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-19T13:49:54-04:00

A Santa Ana (CA) man was arrested October 18 2011 for aiming a green laser pointer at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter. The pilot did not report any injury. Daniel Abraham Garcia Daniel Abraham Garcia, 24, was charged with suspicion of pointing a laser at an aircraft, a felony. Garcia told police he was “messing around” and did not know that pointing at an aircraft was illegal. From the Orange County Register, Silicon Valley Mercury News, and KABC News

UK: Laser targets Gatwick-bound commercial flight "for miles"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-19T12:33:12-04:00

A commercial flight was targeted “for several miles” by a green laser as it flew over Oxfordshire on October 18 2011, towards its destination of Gatwick Airport. Police were notified; the public was asked for its help in finding the perpetrator. From BBC News

UK: Police treat laser incidents as "prelude to missile attack"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-15T11:37:38-04:00

After two laser incidents, a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said they treat such incidents as a possible terrorist threat: “Obviously a laser could be a prelude to a missile attack. We look at it with that level of seriousness.” On October 14 2011, an Airbus carrying 180 persons was about three miles from Exeter (Devon) International Airport when the pilot reported a “blinding light”. Although “disturbed” by it, he was able to land safely. The same night, an aircraft with more than 60 persons on board was laser illuminated at Newquay Cornwall Airport, leaving the pilot “shaken”. Police say the incidents are likely to be unrelated. A helicopter unsuccessfully sought the source of the Exeter laser beam.

Switzerland: CHF 7,700 fine for aiming laser at Montreaux helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-14T15:02:19-04:00

A 37-year-old Swiss man was fined a total of CHF 7,700 (USD $8,620) for an October 2010 illumination of two military helicopters flying near Montreaux. News reports said two crew members were injured by the laser; one went to a hospital for treatment. The injuries were not permanent. Since the incident, “powerful” lasers have been outlawed in Switzerland, but pilots still report incidents. The Swiss emergency rescue team Rega says lasers have been pointed at their helicopters 16 times from January to October 2011. From World Radio Switzerland. The original October 2010 story of the arrest and crew injuries is here.

US: Laser strike in St. Louis causes concern

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-07T23:58:52-04:00

A Frontier Airlines flight was illuminated by a green laser just after midnight October 7 2011. The incident happened as the plane was on approach, about 27 miles west of Lambert-St. ...An airline spokesperson said there was no effect on the pilots. A police helicopter searched for suspects but did not find any. ... Louis County Police Department spokesperson said county police are not investigating. ... STLtoday.com quoted an FBI spokesperson as saying the agency was not investigating because “no one was arrested and no one was hurt.” ...Louis has been a focus since July, when local authorities held a media campaign to inform the public about the dangers and consequences of aiming at aircraft.

Canada: Calgary laser incidents highlight growing concern

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-06T05:47:45-04:00

An Air Canada Jazz flight, and a WestJet flight on final approach to Calgary International Airport had their cockpits illuminated by a green laser, on September 18 2011. There were no injuries to the pilots. Police are searching an area between downtown Calgary and 36th Street S.E., but as of October 5 have not found any suspects. There were 182 laser illuminations in Canada in 2010, according to Transport Canada. Fourteen of these took place in Alberta. From the Calgary Herald

UK: 13-year-old boy arrested in Slough

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-10-03T18:41:13-04:00

Police arrested a 13-year-old boy for aiming a laser pen at a Thames Valley Police helicopter flying over Slough on October 2 2011. Slough is a borough about 22 miles west of London, in Berkshire. The teen was arrested on suspicion of endangering aircraft. He was released on bail until October 27. From the Maidenhead Advertiser and BBC News

Australia: Arrest for repeatedly aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-29T22:49:58-04:00

On September 29 2011, a green laser pen was pointed five times in seven minutes at a police helicopter patrolling near North Rocks, a suburb about 26 km northwest of Sydney. The air crew identified the location and ground units arrested a 20-year-old in Glenwood, about 9 km from North Rocks. The man was charged with possession or use of a prohibited weapon without permit, and an act threatening the safety of an aircraft with a person on board. He was granted bail. From 9News, ABC Sydney and NSW Police Force

UK: "High powered" laser diverts police from 999 call

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-29T11:00:57-04:00

A police helicopter answering a 999 emergency call was diverted by a “high powered” green laser pointer as it flew near Coventry on September 28 2011. The helicopter was searching for intruders in a woman’s garden. A 16-year-old man and a 33-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of recklessly endangering an aircraft. An air operations supervisor said “such acts defy belief.” He noted that police can easily locate laser offenders and ground units can arrive “very quickly.” The Cambridge News said that in 2010, there were five incidents involving lasers being aimed at the Cambridgeshire police helicopter. From the Coventry Telegraph and the Cambridge News

Russia: Aeroflot pilot "barely averted" a crash due to teen aiming laser pointer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-25T13:51:41-04:00

The news was reported in English in a September 25 2011 Moscow Times story, which in turn was based on reports from the Russian-language news site Altapress.ru. ...September 22 at 05.49 (local time) from the commander of A-320 (airline "Aeroflot") received information about an attempt to dazzle with a laser beam while landing. ..."Intentional use of lasers and laser-based products in the direction of implementing taxiing, takeoff, landing and flight of aircraft is punishable by an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of 50 thousand rubles or administrative arrest for up to 15 days with the confiscation of the instrumentalities of an administrative offense," - Transport Supervision said in a statement on Sept. 21. ...Recall, September 22 at 05.49 (local time) on the commander's A-320 (airline "Aeroflot") received information about an attempt to dazzle with a laser beam while landing. ...Natalia Kolovrova, teen[’s] mom, blank the beam: “It so happened that we did not expect: Ray got to the plane, which is in front of our windows are on the landing. ...Andrey Spiridonov, Deputy Chief of Police Department, in line Barnaul Airport: “Was outlined a rough square, where the radiation went, was installed after a witness who called the police and have the exact address.” ...Reference: September 22 at 05.49 (local time) from the commander of A-320 (airline "Aeroflot") received information about an attempt to dazzle lasers while landing.

US: Calif. woman arrested for aiming at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-25T07:23:02-04:00

Kimberly Rogers, 27, was arrested on September 23 2011 for illuminating a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter with a green laser. She was charged with discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft and was being held in jail in lieu of $20,000 bail. ...The incident came while the helicopter was searching for the source of a laser that illuminated a commercial airplane landing at Los Angeles International Airport. Rogers has not been accused or charged in that incident. The sheriff’s department said there have been seven illuminations of their flight crews in the past 12 months, resulting in five arrests. Rogers’ home in Compton (“A” on the map) is about 9.5 miles from Los Angeles International Airport

US: Coast Guard helicopter distracted by laser after Calif. search and rescue mission

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-23T12:23:57-04:00

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was illuminated multiple times by a green laser on September 17 2011. It was returning from a search and rescue distress call when it was hit by the laser light south of Humboldt Bay. The Coast Guard said “the pilot at the controls was not affected by the laser and the aircraft remained under control.” From Military.com News

UK: Chard man did not think laser would reach helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-22T10:00:39-04:00

Marc Webster was lying in bed at 1:45 am on August 30 2011 when he heard a police helicopter over his home in Chard, Somerset. He picked up a laser pen from his window sill -- he usually used it to point at trees and scare birds away -- and aimed it at the helicopter. Webster later told police “he pointed the laser at the helicopter to see if it would reach, but [he] did not think it did.” ...Webster said he aimed the laser for less than 15 seconds; the officers in the helicopter said it was around five minutes. ...A news report said Webster, 45, was a drug user: “He said it had been a crazy day after he went out in the morning to score some heroin, but believes he was instead given ketamine, which didn’t treat him well.” ...The sentencing judge said “The message should go out that people tempted to target helicopters in this idiotic and dangerous way should expect a custodial sentence. ... I don’t see why your son – in a very difficult family situation – should have that done as a result of your stupidity.”

US: 14-year-old arrested for lasing, interrupting police search

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-21T17:03:00-04:00

Marc Webster was lying in bed at 1:45 am on August 30 2011 when he heard a police helicopter over his home in Chard, Somerset. He picked up a laser pen from his window sill -- he usually used it to point at trees and scare birds away -- and aimed it at the helicopter. Webster later told police “he pointed the laser at the helicopter to see if it would reach, but [he] did not think it did.” Pilot Paul Maddox was unable to continue investigating a car crime, and broke off his mission. ... Webster said he aimed the laser for less than 15 seconds; the officers in the helicopter said it was around five minutes. On September 22, Webster pleaded guilty to recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or person in an aircraft. ...A news report said Webster, 45, was a drug user: “He said it had been a crazy day after he went out in the morning to score some heroin, but believes he was instead given ketamine, which didn’t treat him well.”

New Zealand: "Future career is on the line" for 20-year-old who aimed at a police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-17T12:17:39-04:00

A 20-year-old New Zealand man who pleaded guilty to “endangering transport” by lasing an aircraft is asking for leniency because a conviction will affect his employment and travel. ...Police said Burton -- 19 at the time -- admitted the act and said he did not realize the effect it would have on the pilot. ...On September 16 2011, Burton’s lawyer told the court the act was done stupidly without thinking, after drinking with friends. ... In 2007, Burton had arrived in New Zealand with his mother and sister, and all three are applying for residency. A conviction would affect his residency and his ability to find work and travel overseas. ...New Zealand does have a seven-year “clean slate” law, but his lawyer argued that Burton needed to complete his studies, apply for residency and find work before 2018. ...UPDATE OCTOBER 27 2011: The judge agreed with Burton’s lawyer, that the consequences for Burton’s career and residency application outweighed the seriousness of his offense.

UK: Laser pen aimed at vehicles and plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-17T12:03:54-04:00

A green laser was aimed at motorists near Witney, 12 miles west of Oxford, at about the same time that a commercial aircraft reported a green laser as it flew over Witney. Police are searching for the persons involved in the incidents. Police received several calls that a group of people in a silver people carrier was shining a green laser on the A40 near Witney, at about 8 p.m on September 15 2011. Police also were contacted by air traffic control staff after an aircraft was targeted with a green laser at 8 p.m. The police declined to release details of the flight or its effect, if any, on the flight until statements had been taken from the pilots and crew. The fine for aiming at aircraft is up to £2,500. ...This news item is being cross-posted in on the News/Non-aviation incidents page as well.

Northern Ireland: Laser aimed at east Belfast police helicpter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-17T11:03:27-04:00

A laser pen was aimed at a helicopter of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on September 16 2011. No suspect has been arrested, but police have spoken to a 50-year-old man, and the investigation continues. A spokesperson said "If life is lost as a result of this behaviour, those involved could not only face charges of being in possession of a dangerous weapon but could also end up facing manslaughter charges.” From BBC News

US: Long saga of Frank Newton Anderson appears over: probation and $4000 fine

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-16T01:30:35-04:00

The long saga of Frank Newton Anderson has ended with one year’s probation and a $4000 fine on a federal charge of interfering with the operation of an aircraft. Anderson faced up to 20 years in prison for lasing an Orange County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on April 13 2010. He pleaded guilty in December 2010, and had his judge resign in June 2011 because prosecutors would not reduce the charge to a misdemeanor. ... A new judge was assigned, and Anderson was sentenced in July 2011, according to an article appearing in the Orlando Sentinel on September 15 2011. ...He was arrested March 21 2010 in Orlando for firing a handgun at an Orange County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. ... • January 21 2011 update on a possible 10-year sentence for firing a gun at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter vs. a possible 20-year sentence for Anderson aiming a laser at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter is here. ... • September 16 2011 update here quoting the Orlando Sentinel as stating that Anderson was sentenced in July 2011 to one year’s probation and a $4000 fine.

US: Laser aimed at Boise medical helicopter; police seek perpetrator

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-15T13:55:28-04:00

A LifeFlight medical helicopter with a patient inside was illuminated by green laser light as it flew over north Boise, Idaho on September 12 2011. Boise Police and the Transportation Safety Administration are asking anyone with information on the unknown perpetrator to come forward. The agencies noted that fines can reach up to $25,000, and there could be up to a 20-year sentence. From the Idaho Statesman. A short video report is at KTVB.

Wales: Six month sentence for misuse of brand-new laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-12T09:05:45-04:00

A 21-year-old from Newport, Wales, was given a six-month sentence in a young offender’s institution for illuminating a police helicopter. Ross McDonnell-Jones had purchased a green laser pen on October 11 2010. The next day, he aimed it at the helicopter, which was at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The pilot “lost his night vision and had to tilt his head away from the light, causing him to lose sight of the instruments and putting the aircraft in momentary danger”, according to the prosecutor. The laser attack lasted about five minutes. McDonnell-Jones admitted aiming the laser outside but said he did not see the helicopter. The pen was found hidden under a baby’s mattress in the man’s home.

UK: UPDATED - Laser pens prevent medical copter from landing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-09T13:04:24-04:00

A medical helicopter was unable to land to pick up a patient, after laser pens were aimed at the aircraft. ... Officials said they do not believe the delay affected the outcome, but called it a “serious offense” and are looking for the persons involved. Late on September 7 2011, paramedics and an ambulance responded to a call about an elderly man who had collapsed in Caine, Wiltshire. They found the man had gone into cardiac arrest, and they called for the assistance of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance helicopter. ... As it tried to land for a second time, a “group of yobs” flashed laser pens at the pilot. ...Police said “at this stage, we are satisfied that the helicopter not being able to land did not affect the outcome of this incident.” ...They had to pay £278 each and were given a conditional discharge (no punishment provided that no further offense is committed).

Australia: Man aims at police helicopter, could be jailed for 2 years (UPDATED)

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-09T07:59:40-04:00

A 21-year-old Cranbourne man at a Hampton Park party aimed a laser at a police helicopter on September 3 2011. The incident was captured on infrared video, and the man was captured. He was charged with interference with an aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, and possession of a prohibited weapon. The interference charge carries a maximum two year jail sentence. His court appearance has been set for November 24 2011. A Victoria Police spokesman said Melbourne has the highest number of incidents involving laser light, and “these incidents are occurring far too frequently….” ...UPDATE November 24 2011: Tam Nguyen pleaded guilty on November 24 2011.

US: Man charged with aiming at vehicles and sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-08T14:41:53-04:00

Christopher Marden, 20, admitted aiming a laser pointer at vehicles on an Interstate highway, then turning it on a Seminole County sheriff’s helicopter on September 4 2011. The laser attacks lasted about 5-7 minutes, according to the man’s companions. The incident occurred in DeBary, Florida, roughly halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach. The helicopter had been assisting in a suspect search. Christopher Marden The Deltona man was charged with pointing a laser light at a driver/pilot, and could also be fined up to $11,000 by the Federal Aviation Administration. From the Daytona Beach News-Journal and WFTV

UK: Pilot dazzled, breaks off police work to arrest 45-year-old

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-09-07T16:55:51-04:00

A police helicopter broke off pursuit of suspects after the pilot was dazzled by a green laser pen, early in the morning on September 6 2011. The Western Counties Air Operations Unit was able to guide ground officers in Chard to the location. A 45-year-old man was arrested and charged with directing or shining a light at an aircraft so as to dazzle the pilot. The suspects involved in the original incident, a vehicle break-in, were arrested separately. From This Is The West Country

UK: Helicopter catches Southampton laser pen suspects

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-30T17:52:52-04:00

Three persons were arrested August 27 2011 after aiming lasers at a police helicopter searching for the source of an earlier laser illumination of a Flybe aircraft landing at Southampton Airport. Thermal imaging equipment was used to locate two youths, both 17, and a 20-year-old man. Three laser pens were recovered. The three persons were arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. They were held overnight. The teens were referred to the Youth Offending Team while the man received a caution. From BBC News and the Daily Mail

US: Orlando teen suspected in multiple lasings of planes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-29T20:30:07-04:00

After a rash of Orlando-area laser illuminations on commercial aircraft, a helicopter searching for suspects was illuminated six times by 17-year-old Stefano Fronte-Liporacci. The Venezuelan student was in possession of a green laser when he was arrested by ground units on August 28 2011. He was charged with knowingly aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, a felony. Fronte-Liporacci was arrested at a home (“A” above) near Orlando International Airport. Beginning on August 24, pilots from Jet Blue, Southwest and Atlantic Coast Airlines had reported a total of four laser incidents. This prompted the August 28 search by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter. From My Fox Orlando and ClickOrlando.com

Italy: Turin airport has five laser attacks in August

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-26T21:24:43-04:00

Five laser attacks have occurred at the Turin-Caselle airport in August. All involved a green laser, located close to the airport, aimed at airliners on approach or while landing. Police are looking for the perpetrator. He or she would be charged with “publicly using unauthorized objects with a nature to offend.” Class 3B and 4 lasers (for visible continuous output lasers, above 500 mW) have been banned in Italy since 1998, according to AvioNews. From AvioNews

US: UPDATED - Clark Gable's grandson pleads not guilty in laser incident; faces up to three years

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-24T03:31:35-04:00

Clark James Gable III, 22, was charged on August 23 2011 with three felony counts of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ...The charges stem from an incident July 28 where Gable aimed a green laser pointer at a police helicopter, temporarily flashblinding two officers on board. ...UPDATE August 26 2011: Gable pleaded not guilty to the charges at his August 26 arraignment. ... His next court appearance will be September 8, at a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go to trial. ...UPDATE December 8 2011: Gable pleaded guilty to one felony count of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ... At sentencing January 12 2012, prosecutors are expected to ask for a 10 day jail sentence plus 200 days on a work crew. ...UPDATE, January 12 2012: Gable was sentenced to 10 days in jail plus three years probation, according to TMZ.com.

Canada: Winnipeg man arrested for aiming laser at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-21T02:19:45-04:00

A 30-year-old Winnipeg man used a green laser pointer to illuminate a police helicopter four times on August 20 2011. By using “technology on the chopper,” the crew were able to direct officers on the ground. The man was arrested about 10 minutes after the illuminations. He was charged with assault with a weapon and projection of a directed bright light source at an aircraft. From the Toronto Sun, CJOB 68 and CBC News (which also has photos of the laser pointer and the man being arrested)

Austria: Teen "hooligans" arrested for lasing rescue helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-18T23:32:42-04:00

Teenaged “hooligans” were arrested after a medical rescue helicopter was lased in the Austrian town of Steyr on August 17 2011. The aircraft was illuminated when landing at a hospital to deliver a seriously injured patient; the pilot had green laser light in his eyes. The helicopter was also illuminated again when taking off. The pilots called the police while they circled overhead to identify the beam source. Two teens were arrested, one 17 and one 19, for endangering air safety. They face up to 10 years in prison. From The Voice of Russia and Austrian Wings

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-15T22:55:39-04:00

This is because 1) laser beams spread out over distance so the power density (irradiance) is greatly reduced, 2) it is nearly impossible to keep a laser fixed on one area of the cockpit window, and 3) a human naturally blinks after 1/4 second of exposure to a bright light. ... • The Wicked Laser Spyder III Arctic laser used in Glendale appears to meet or exceed all U.S. FDA safety requirements for a Class 4 laser. In short, the laser appears to be legal for sale, possession and use under Federal law.1 What was illegal, of course, was Garabedian aiming the laser at an aircraft. ...A worst-case hazard analysis of a 1-watt blue laser showing the Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance (eye-damage), Sensitive Zone Exposure Distance (flashblindness), Critical Zone Exposure Distance (veiling glare), and Laser-Free Exposure Distance (distraction). ...1Some at FDA may say the Wicked Lasers Spyder III Arctic is illegal for sale for one or both of these reasons: 1) FDA warned Wicked in November 2010 about past labeling and paperwork violations, so this model may be included in FDA’s import restrictions. 2) FDA has at times tried to argue that handheld lasers are “surveying, leveling or alignment lasers” and thus all handheld lasers above 5 mW can be regulated; LaserPointerSafety.com considers the first item to be a relatively minor paperwork issue, and the second item to be completely incorrect. Our larger point is that under current Federal law 1) anyone may own and operate for personal use a laser of any power and 2) a manufacturer may sell a laser of any power, as long as they truthfully certify to FDA that the laser meets U.S. safety requirements for its hazard Class.

Australia: Laser aimed at aircraft near Sydney

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-14T14:16:48-04:00

A commercial aircraft was illuminated by a green laser aimed from the Cronulla area of Sydney, just after takeoff on an August 13 2011 flight to Canberra. Miranda Police searched for the perpetrator without success. The New South Wales police put out a press release asking for the public’s help in finding who lased the airplane. From 9 News and the NSW Police

UK: 15-year-old arrested for lasing Northumbria copter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-12T20:26:59-04:00

A 15-year-old boy was arrested for “shining a light so as to distract a pilot”. He aimed a green laser pen at a Northumbria Police helicopter as it flew over South Shields at 2:00 am local time on August 12 2011. From BBC News and the Sunday Sun

Lithuania: Several pilots flashblinded

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-12T05:55:23-04:00

There have been several recent cases of pilots being temporarily blinded by green laser beams while landing at Vilnius International Airport, in the capital of Lithuania. On August 11, two planes were illuminated. Pilots located the general area, but police driving to the scene were unable to locate the laser. Laser beams also lit up aircraft on August 10 and August 9. Police are asking the public for any information. A police spokesman said the lasers were “powerful enough to cause permanent eye damage.” From Taiwan News and Kiev Post

US: Laser incident in St. Louis, one week after publicity push

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-06T00:43:16-04:00

A police department helicopter flying over St. Louis County was illuminated multiple times by a green laser beam August 3 2011. A news story states the “entire” cockpit was not illuminated, but a TV news report said the cockpit was “completely illuminated.” The person aiming at the helicopter has not be found as of August 6. This incident comes just over one week after an FBI/police media effort in St. Louis to inform residents about laser/aircraft hazards. From STLtoday.com and KSDK TV (which has a video report online)

Wales: Three boys arrested after lasing helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-04T13:29:09-04:00

Three boys were arrested for aiming lasers at a police helicopter in Cardiff. The boys are 12, 13 and 14, were charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft. A police spokesperson said the incident “may be viewed as a harmless prank … [but] could have fatal consequences.” From BBC News North East Wales

Ireland: Rescue helicopter distracted by laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-04T01:03:32-04:00

An Irish Coast Guard helicopter was distracted by a green laser beam “throughout” a rescue operation in Bray on July 27 2011. Gardai are asking for anyone with knowledge of the perpetrator to contact them. From Bray People. Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere.

Scotland: Laser causes "considerable distraction" during sea rescue

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-08-02T14:49:06-04:00

The crew of a Royal Navy rescue helicopter, helping in a sea rescue August 1 2011, suffered “considerable distraction” from a laser beam. The Sea King helicopter was on standby to help assist local police and coastguard personnel rescuing a woman in the water at Saltcoats, on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. A Royal Navy spokesperson said the lasing was “extremely reckless and irresponsible behaviour…. Had we been in the middle of a rescue, this person’s actions could have jeopardized our ability to continue.” Strathclyde Police were notified; as yet no suspect has been identified. From BBC News. Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere.

Canada: Oshawa teen arrested after lasing copter. UPDATE: Five more teens charged

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-30T23:38:58-04:00

An 18-year-old was arrested after a “strong” green laser strike on a Durham Regional Police helicopter, on July 29 2011. An officer on the aircraft (not the pilot) experienced “vision problems” and was examined at a local hospital. Robert Roughly was arrested at his home on Dunrobin Court in Oshawa, 60 miles northwest of Toronto. ... • Lessen the Ability of any Crew Member to Perform Duties (Aeronautics Act) ...Each charge under the Aeronautics Act has a maximum fine of $100,000 and/or five years in prison. ...UPDATE August 8 2011: Investigators announced the arrests of five more teens: Dale Branton, Alana Capesky, Andrew Capesky, Curtis Lee, and Aaron Mountjoy. ... According to the National Post, “Witness testimony and unspecified investigations led police to allege that the six accused took turns passing the laser around and aiming it at the helicopter.”

US: UPDATED - Clark Gable's grandson arrested for laser illumination of LAPD helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-29T11:41:10-04:00

The aspiring reality TV star is the grandson of actor Clark Gable, star of Gone With the Wind and 66 other theatrical motion pictures. ...*Note: KTLA lists Gable’s age as 23, the Los Angeles Times and other sources state he is 22. ... • The Sacramento Bee identified the friend as Maximilian Anderson, 23, and wrote that Anderson remained in jail as of one day after the arrest. ...UPDATE August 23 2011: Gable was charged with three felony counts of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ...UPDATE December 8 2011: Gable pleaded guilty to one felony count of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ... At sentencing January 12 2012, prosecutors are expected to ask for a 10 day jail sentence plus 200 days on a work crew. ...UPDATE, January 12 2012: Gable was sentenced to 10 days in jail plus three years probation, according to TMZ.com.

UK: North London teen gets 6 month jail sentence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-29T02:51:06-04:00

19-year-old Islam Ali was handed a six month jail sentence after pleading guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft. On March 6 2011 the teen was using a green laser pen outdoors and “wanted to see how far it would go.” He aimed at a police helicopter pilot who was flying an armed response team to a shooting incident. One press account said the pilot was temporarily blinded while another said that at 1,500 feet “the strength of the beam was not sufficient to affect [the pilot’s] vision.” According to the judge, “this was an extremely serious offence which could have ended in several fatalities” to those on board and on the ground. From the Daily Express and Willesden & Brent Times

US: Pilots complain of pain; Philly man arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-28T14:58:09-04:00

A Philadelphia police helicopter was lased multiple times during a routine patrol on July 27 2011. The pilot and co-pilot both complained of momentary pain and blurred vision, so police began to search for the perpetrator. They found Brian Lawhon, 23, with a green laser described as a black pen cylinder six inches long. The Hunting Park man was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault, causing or risking a catastrophe, and possessing an instrument of crime. From NBC Philadelphia, CBS Philly, 6ABC.com and the Philadelphia Inquirer

Canada: $5000 fine for aiming at three aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-27T01:36:47-04:00

On July 26 2011, a 39-year-old Calgary man was fined CDN $5000 for aiming a “Class 3” green laser pointer at a small plane, a small jet and a traffic helicopter. Chris Saulnier pleaded guilty to the January 5 2011 illuminations. He was identified via video taken from the helicopter and turned over to the police. His lawyer said Saulnier had an interest in astronomy, and was “not thinking about the consequences, he’s just thinking and wondering whether his beam can hit what he thought was the belly of the airplane.... In hindsight, he knows the seriousness of it and accepts responsibility...” From the Calgary Herald UPDATE July 28 2011: Representatives of the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada said Saulnier was not a RASC member, and did not represent responsible amateur astronomy.

US: Helicopter pilot describes laser effects

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-27T01:28:15-04:00

The pilot of a medical helicopter described the effects of a July 16 2011 laser illumination. Roger Catlin said he closed one eye and hoped the exposed eye would not be damaged. He said the two or three flashes in about 30 seconds were “pretty distracting” due to worries about being able to fly. No one has yet been caught in the incident, which took place over Terrell, Texas which is about 30 miles east of Dallas. From NBCDFW.com

UK: 6 months in jail for "dangerous idiot" laser pen offender

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-26T23:51:06-04:00

A 23-year-old Newcastle area man was sentenced on July 26 2011 to 6 months in jail for repeatedly aiming a laser pen at a Northumbria Police helicopter around 1 am on June 6. Richard Anthony Oliver was outside his house in South Shields, and admitted the offence. He had purchased the laser pen while on holiday in Turkey, according to his lawyer, and “he accepts that it was a stupid, silly thing to do.” 6 months for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter The judge called Oliver a “dangerous idiot” for illuminating the helicopter “for a considerable amount of time.” In addition to the 6-month laser pen sentence, Oliver received another 6 months in jail on an unrelated theft charge. ...See also the Shields Gazette June 21 2011 story about Oliver’s guilty plea, and LaserPointerSafety.com’s original news item about the June 6 incident.

UK: Teens aim laser at helicopter; disrupt river rescue

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-26T18:14:01-04:00

A Cambridgeshire police helicopter was targeted by a laser beam as it assisted firefighters rescuing a woman from a river. ...Police located and spoke with three teens: a boy (15) and two girls (14 and 16). So far, no charges have been filed in the July 22 2011 incident. ...Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere. UPDATE October 3 2011: The Cambridge News reports that the boy has been “reprimanded” and has been “dealt with by the police.” ... If there is a second offense, a final warning would be issued. On the third offense, the person would be charged and sent to court.

US: St. Louis area publicity warns against pointing at aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-26T13:50:33-04:00

The case of a man arrested for aiming a laser at a police helicopter, was the subject of an FBI press conference for St. Louis-area media on July 26 2011. 26-year-old Justin E. Stouder of O’Fallon, Missouri, described how he aimed a green laser at a police helicopter on April 27 2010. ... Police converged on his home and he was arrested, spending the night in jail. Although Stouder was charged with “obstructing government operations” on May 14 2010, he successfully completed a one-year pretrial diversion program and thus has no additional penalty and no criminal record. ...This screenshot shows Stouder at the FBI press conference where he apologized to the pilots. ...The agent in charge and the U.S. assistant attorney both stressed that the next person to be charged may face much stronger penalties than Stouder did. ...A video interview with the FBI agent-in-charge is available at Fox 2 Now.

Russia: Laser beam shines on Moscow airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-26T02:14:05-04:00

Moscow police are searching for the person who aimed a laser beam at an aircraft landing at Domodedovo Airport on July 25 2010. ...In a related story, Russia Today has posted a video showing what it looks like to be in an aircraft during a laser illumination: Frame showing point of maximum dazzle when a laser beam hits the aircraft’s cockpit window. ...UPDATE July 28 2011: Bloomberg quotes news agency RIA Novosti as saying a suspect was caught on July 27. The 26-year-old told police “he couldn’t even imagine that his actions could cause a plane to crash.” The news agency says the suspect was 40 kilometers from the airport on Kosygin (Kosygina) Street in western Moscow. The map shows the suspect’s location (A) in relation to Domodedovo Airport (B)

UK: Birmingham-area man claims dog, not copter, was his target; judge disagrees

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-23T15:56:16-04:00

A judge rejected the claim that a Small Heath man was trying to attract his dog’s attention when he aimed a green laser pointer at a police helicopter flying over Birmingham. Joshua Bough, 28, had admitted endangering the safety of an aircraft in the March 28 2011 incident, but said it was not deliberate. Bough claimed his puppy had run off and “he used the laser pen to attract the dog’s attention because sometimes it would get lost and confused in the dark.” Judge John Maxwell said the account was not supported by video footage of the incident. The judge further warned Bough that he should expect a prison sentence. ...UPDATE August 24 2011: Bough was sentenced to 16 months in jail. Judge Maxwell said the situation was “intolerable” and added “If we are to avoid the terrible consequences that will sooner or later follow if people behave as you did, the court will do what it can to protect the public and punish the offender.”

UK: 3 month sentence for Newcastle teen

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-22T15:49:49-04:00

On July 22 2011, 18-year-old David Taylor of Newcastle began a three month sentence in a young offender’s institute, for aiming a green laser pen multiple times at a Northumbria Police helicopter. The pilot was forced to change course during the March 12 2011 incident. Taylor was later convicted of recklessly acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. A police spokesperson said “I hope this sentence sends out the message to others that this sort of behaviour is not a game or a prank, it’s extremely serious .... they are committing a criminal offence.” From Chronicle Live and BBC News

US: UPDATED - Student faces three legal actions after lasing medical helicopter from tower

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-19T23:20:50-04:00

University of Pittsburgh student James Gabriel Parisi is in trouble with the university, local police and the Federal Aviation Administration after he admitted aiming a laser towards medical helicopters. ...He was also charged by University of Pittsburgh police with two felony counts of “causing or risking a catastrophe.” Finally, an FAA spokesperson said they will pursue civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. On July 17 2011, at midnight and again at 3 am, medical evacuation helicopters reported seeing green beams coming from the University’s “Cathedral of Learning” skyscraper. ... Parisi, 20, spoke privately to an officer and said that he was the one who had been using a laser pointer. ...UPDATED February 28 2012: Parisi is awaiting trial on two state felony counts of “risking a catastrophe”. He could be fined up to $15,000 and receive up to seven years in prison on each charge.

US: Tucson man arrested; video shows laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-16T21:53:30-04:00

20-year-old Alama Nicholson Jeffs was charged with two counts of endangerment for aiming a green laser beam at a police helicopter in Tucson, on July 13 2011. The light disoriented the crew, but no injuries were reported. Jeffs is also suspected of aiming a day earlier towards aircraft landing at Tucson International Airport; charges have not yet been brought. The night before the arrest, commercial aircraft approaching Tucson International Airport reported lasers coming from the area of Ryan Field. The suspect’s home (A) is about 4 miles from Ryan Field, and is 11 miles from TIA. The helicopter illumination, and subsequent tracking of Jeffs by night vision camera, was captured on video released by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department: Click to see the full video

US: Pilot's video & research helps FBI find & convict Chicago-area man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-15T23:22:36-04:00

Guerra was first illuminated by a laser near Chicago’s Midway Airport. Because of this incident, he put a video camera in his cockpit. On June 16 2010 he captured green flashes from an area northwest of Midway: ...In the video, an area of about 50 homes is highlighted as the “Approximate Laser Location”: ...On April 4 2011, he was charged with 14 counts of aggravated assault based on seven incidents with two counts each. As noted above, on July 12 2011 he pleaded guilty and was sentenced. ...From the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark: July 15 2011 story about the sentence; April 5 2011 story about the pilot’s video and Heeringa’s sentencing.

US: San Diego teen faces three years; video will be evidence

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-15T22:59:55-04:00

A San Diego teenager admitted to police arresting him that he pointed a laser at a police helicopter on July 11 2011. ...His lawyer argued, unsuccessfully, that Rincon did not present a danger to the community since he has no previous criminal record. San Diego police released a video of the laser illumination. ...UPDATE, July 27 2011: Rincon’s trial was set for September 15, according to NBC San Diego. UPDATE 2, September 15 2011: Rincon pleaded guilty to the felony charge of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft. ... If Rincon does not commit any new crimes during the one-year timespan, the charge will likely be reduced to a misdemeanor. That would reduce his maximum possible sentence from three years in prison (for a felony) to one year in county jail (for a misdemeanor).

US: LA police arrest 20-year-old after series of incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-12T16:36:20-04:00

An unnamed 20-year-old man was arrested July 12 2011 for aiming a laser pointer at a Los Angeles police helicopter. The green beam illuminated the pilot’s eyes. A police spokesman said there had been reports of green laser beams pointed at LAPD and news helicopters in the Glassell Park area, in the previous two weeks. There was no immediate indication whether the arrested man was responsible. From DailyBreeze.com

US: 12-year-old Tulsa boy wanted to say "hello" with laser to pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-10T11:56:44-04:00

A 12-year-old boy aimed a green laser at a Tulsa, OK police helicopter “to say hello to the pilot”, according to a police spokesperson. The incident happened around midnight July 10 2011. Police on the ground, alerted by the pilot, found the boy in the parking lot of the Tulsa Mosque. The incident will be reported to the FAA laser database. There is no word of any additional charges that might be brought against the boy. From Newson6.com

Australia: Laser targets plane at Sydney airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-09T21:38:31-04:00

A green laser beam was aimed at a passenger aircraft as it took off from Sydney Airport the evening of July 8 2011. New South Wales police are asking for public assistance in finding the perpetrator. The laser is thought to have come from the Hurstville area in south Sydney. From a NSW Police press release and Sky News Australia

US: 4 people arrested in Louisville KY incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-07T16:10:21-04:00

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US: Phoenix man arrested for aiming at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-07T13:59:37-04:00

24-year-old Conrad Rzewuski was charged with two counts of felony endangerment for aiming a green laser at a Phoenix, AZ police helicopter on July 6 2011. There was no immediate report of direct pilot illumination. In June, Phoenix’s police chief said incidents will be dealt with severely: “We’ll charge them with endangerment, aggravated assault, and interfering with a flight crew.” Conrad Rzewuski From AZfamily.com and Phoenix New Times

Ireland: Man found innocent of "recklessly" illuminating garda helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-06T13:00:35-04:00

A jury has found a Tallaght man not guilty of endangerment in a September 12 2009 incident where a garda (police) helicopter pilot was dazzled with a laser pen. During the incident, the helicopter pilot took his hands off the controls in order to block out the green laser beams, which tracked the helicopter. In addition, a fellow crew member said she suffered pain in her eyes and temporary vision loss. When arrested, Anthony Gaffney, 25, told gardai that he did not realize the laser hazard: “I wasn’t trying to dazzle the pilot. ...He was charged with “intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious injury to another”. During the two-day trial, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Judge Patricia Ryan instructed the jury that the State’s case was not that Gaffney acted intentionally, but that he acted recklessly. ...The jury deliberated for an hour and a half before returning a not guilty verdict.

US: UPDATED - Protective laser glasses help catch L.A. lasing suspects

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-07-04T16:06:21-04:00

Two Los Angeles men were arrested on multiple charges for lasing a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter on July 4 2011. Floyd Atkins, 22, and Alvaro Jimenez, 20, are also being investigated for a string of incidents over the past six months, where lasers were aimed at law enforcement helicopters and at airliners landing at Los Angeles International Airport. ...LaserPointerSafety.com initially reported this as a “sting” operation, based on an NBC LA report that “the LAPD ran a high-flying sting to pinpoint the location of their two attackers.” ... DailyBreeze.com quoted a police spokesman as saying that “a police helicopter on regular patrol was hit with a green laser, and the crew was able to pinpoint the general location of the beam.... ... The second crew was soon hit with the same green laser, and reported to police on the ground the exact location of the laser.” ...UPDATE July 26 2012: Floyd Atkins was found guilty of one felony count of pointing laser beams at a helicopter. ...UPDATE November 1 2012: Floyd Atkins was sentenced on Nov. 1 to one year in county jail and two years probation.

Russia: Some Rostov-on-Don laser attacks due to insurgents? (UPDATE: Maybe not...)

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-24T12:43:47-04:00

In a separate Moscow-area incident, a laser beam was aimed at an Airbus 319 jet landing at Domodedovo Airport on June 22 2011. ...Russia’s aviation agency says there have been 30 laser incidents thus far in 2011, a six-fold increase over the 5 incidents in 2010. ...UPDATE, June 26 2011: Rostov-on-Don police arrested a 21-year-old man for pointing his laser pointer at pilots. The man was reported by a neighbor who saw him shining a green laser into the sky at 2:45 am local time from his house at 4 Volkova Street. ... [Quick analysis: If the man was indeed responsible for the earlier incidents, the insurgent theory would seem less likely since insurgents probably would not attack from their homes.] UPDATE 2, July 3 2011: Police said the pilot of a passenger jet was illuminated by a laser pen while landing in Rostov-on-Don on July 2 2011. [Quick analysis: Either a new person (other than the 21-year-old arrested June 26) is aiming lasers at Rostov aircraft, or police were wrong and the 21-year-old was not responsible for the June attacks.]

US: Felony counts in Calif. case dropped after plea bargain

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-21T10:00:09-04:00

A California man arrested in December 2010 for aiming a green laser at a California Highway Patrol helicopter reached a plea bargain agreement. 39-year-old Kevin Wayne Foster pleaded “no contest” on June 20 2011 to two misdemeanors: interfering with an aircraft, and pointing a laser at a peace officer. ... In addition, the pilot who was temporarily blinded in the incident suggested that Foster give presentations to schools and others on the hazards of pointing lasers at aircraft. Foster was therefore also sentenced to 100 hours of community service giving such presentations. Two felony charges were dropped: assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, and discharging a laser. Foster could have faced more than four years in prison if convicted of these felonies. Two misdemeanors, time served in jail, and 100 hours of community service ...Details about the December 6 2010 incident are here at LaserPointerSafety.com.

US: Fontana Calif. teen arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-20T14:16:42-04:00

Eric Sandoval, 19, was charged with pointing a laser at a Fontana police helicopter on June 18 2011. According to an officer who was in the helicopter, lasers have been aimed at the chopper “numerous times in the past” from the general area where Sandoval was arrested. Fontana is near San Bernardino, and is about 50 miles east of Los Angeles. From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

India: Red lights thought impossible to be lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-20T10:42:25-04:00

Indian aviation officials have doubts that a mysterious red light, being aimed at aircraft landing at Chennai Airport, is a laser. A spokesperson said it is “impossible to track an aircraft flying at high altitude using laser pointer lights.... ... The article also said that planes overseas are often targeted using “green LED lights” but this has not been reported in India. ...Lasers can emit visible light; red and green are the most common colors for pointers and handheld lasers. Further, light from a pointer or handheld laser can be visible to pilots at many thousands or even tens of thousands of feet. LED lights have a much broader beam and thus far, there have been no reports of an LED flashlight or device being used to interfere with pilot vision while airborne. ...A local planetarium and the Indian Institution of Technology were cleared, since officials told police they had not used lasers at night.

US: Chicago Police helicopter incident ends with 3 arrests

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-20T09:41:28-04:00

Three men in their twenties were arrested June 18 2011, after a Chicago Police helicopter flying over the city’s North Side was illuminated by a laser beam. The aircrew directed police on the ground to a rooftop. One man threw a green laser pointer to the ground; it was later recovered. Arrested were Alvin Kang, 25; Jeremy A. Smith, 24; and Mark P. Lawrence, 25. Each man was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and aiming a laser pointer at an officer. From UPI, Chicago Sun-Times and Examiner.com

US: Ocean City NJ purchase used almost immediately against Coast Guard helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-08T21:00:48-04:00

He then pointed it at various targets -- including a Coast Guard helicopter two miles offshore that was on a training exercise with a tow boat. ...Due to previous incidents in Ocean City, the police and a local merchants association had asked members voluntarily to not sell laser pointers. But the president of the association noted that full compliance would not be possible unless there was an official ban or regulation. ... • November 22 2010: State senate bill 2430 is introduced in November 2010 to ban laser pointers above 1 milliwatt. ... • June 24 2011: Unanimous vote on the initial measure to ban Ocean City laser pointer sales and possession. ... • August 20 2013: New Jersey state legislature passes bill to ban laser pointer sales above 1 mW; sends bill to Governor for signature. • October 17 2013: Governor Chris Christie vetoes bill to ban laser pointer sales, saying the 1 mW power limit was “arbitrary” and there was no criminal use of lasers between 1 mW and the federal limit of 5 mW in New Jersey.

US: Arrest in Sacramento laser incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-08T10:09:52-04:00

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. ...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. ...From the Sacramento Bee and Fox40.com

UK: Dover-area sea search called off due to laser pen attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-08T08:52:04-04:00

On June 6 2011, an RAF Sea King helicopter looking for a person in distress in the ocean was forced to call off the search due to being illuminated by a laser pen. Police are trying to find the laser perpetrator. Site of the search: Copt Point between Folkestone and Dover. Photo by Chris Whippet, licensed under CC-by-SA 2.0. Despite extensive searching by other means, rescuers did not locate the person who was reported to be in distress. From Kent Online. Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere.

Russia: Two incidents in one week

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-08T08:50:18-04:00

Russian air transport regulator Rosaviatsiya noted an increase this year in cases of pilots being blinded by laser pens during landing at Russian airports, with 30 such incidents registered as of June 8 2011. Only five cases were registered in 2010. On June 8, a pilot was blinded by a laser pointer while landing a Boeing passenger plane in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, but managed to land safely. The beam came from the area of a local market. Earlier in the week a pilot of an Airbus A320 plane was blinded by a laser light during landing at the same airport From RIA Novosti

UK: Helicopter hit twice in four days

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-07T21:15:49-04:00

The most recent was June 6 2011, when 23-year-old Richard Anthony Oliver aimed a laser pen at the aircraft as it was flying over South Shields. Oliver was charged with directing a light at an aircraft to distract a pilot. [UPDATE July 26 2011: Oliver was given a 6 month sentence for the laser offence. ...Earlier, on June 2, two 14-year-old boys lased the aircraft, which had been searching for criminal suspects near West Denton. ... For a few seconds I couldn’t see anything, all I could see was a green light. ...The pilot was forced to break off their search in order to find the laser perpetrators. ... The two teens were arrested and may charged with recklessly acting in a manner to endanger an aircraft.

US: Pilot states he has been targeted six times

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-04T16:09:12-04:00

A South African scientist plans to strap a laser pointer-type device to the head of Olympic archer Karen Hultzer, to help make her shooting form consistent. Hulzer hired Johan Steryn of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to develop the device, which is not legal for competition but should improve muscle memory when used during training. From the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

US: Judge withdraws from Florida case because felony charge is too harsh for "an idiot, not a criminal"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-04T14:58:09-04:00

A federal judge refused to sentence an Orlando man who pleaded guilty on January 20 2011 to interfering with the operation of an aircraft. U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp said that Frank Newton Anderson was “an idiot, not a criminal” when he aimed a laser pointer at a sheriff’s helicopter on April 13 2010. Sharp withdrew from the case because prosecutors would not reduce the charge to a misdemeanor. ... Sharp also pointed out that a felony conviction would mean that Anderson could never work in his field. ... • January 21 2011 update on a possible 10-year sentence for firing a gun at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter vs. a possible 20-year sentence for Anderson aiming a laser at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter is here. • June 4 2011 update on judge withdrawing from Anderson’s case because prosecutors would not drop felony charge is here. ... • September 16 2011 update here quoting the Orlando Sentinel as stating that Anderson was sentenced in July 2011 to one year’s probation and a $4000 fine.

US: Texas man arrested after aiming at FBI pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-03T23:00:53-04:00

It's dangerous, it's against the law, it's just not good common sense to do something like that." ...Thanks to Tim Walsh (ILDA’s president), Steve Jander of Showlasers, and Steve Roberts for bringing this to our attention. UPDATE, June 8 2011: In a jailhouse interview, Ladymon admitted he aimed a $40 green laser pointer at the FBI aircraft because he was “tired of circling helicopters”. He said he was not sure if he also illuminated a Southwest Airlines flight: “That could have happened. ... Ladymon does not believe he did anything wrong in the June incident or in earlier illuminations. He may have been responsible for some of the 85 laser incidents in north Texas from January 2010 through May 2011. ...UPDATE #2, October 31 2011: Ladymon was charged on October 21 2011 with one count of interfering with an aircraft with reckless disregard for the safety of human liee, a federal offense with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sweden: "Aviation sabotage" conviction for 21-year-old

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-02T21:52:21-04:00

A 21-year-old was convicted of “aviation sabotage” for repeatedly aiming a laser at a police helicopter in February 2010. According to a news report, the pilot was wearing “protective sunglasses” which helped avoid “what could have been a serious accident” as the helicopter flew over Gothenburg, Sweden. The 21-year-old was convicted under the Radiation Protection Act. He received a suspended sentence with community service. A more severe sentence of 90 days was not imposed because the man had no previous criminal record. From The Local

US: UPDATED - 5 years probation for Florida man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-02T16:12:56-04:00

Mark Clay Hazlitt, 59, of Lakeland Florida was sentenced on June 2 2011 to five years probation on federal charges of interfering with the operation of a Polk County Sheriff’s Department helicopter. ...The judge ruled that Hazlitt’s laser pointer was not a “dangerous weapon” under the circumstances of the case. This finding helped reduce the severity of Hazlitt’s sentence. He could have received up to 20 years in prison for the November 21 2010 green laser pointer illumination, which occurred because he was “tired of hearing” the helicopter. According to The Ledger, Hazlitt said at the sentencing that “his actions last year [were] the result of ‘very bad judgment.’” He has started a website, laserawareness.us, in order to apologize and to publicize the hazards and potential penalties of laser pointer misuse. LaserPointerSafety.com carried a story about the original Lakeland laser incident here.

US: FAA to impose civil penalties

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-06-01T13:22:23-04:00

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on June 1 2011 that they will impose civil penalties of up to $11,000 on any person who aims laser beams at aircraft. Many more details about this new policy are at LaserPointerSafety.com’s main article, which is here.

US: Second laser assault in a week in Glendale CA

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-31T21:54:03-04:00

For the second time in less than a week a Glendale, California police helicopter was illuminated by laser light. In a May 27 incident, the aircrew was able to locate the South Glendale building where the beam came from. When they were illuminated again, they were able to pinpoint an apartment in the building. ...He told officers that he did not point at the helicopter but instead had been using a telescope equipped with a laser pointer for sighting. ...Earlier, on May 22, a Glendale police helicopter was illuminated and officers made an arrest, as reported here. ...A news report did not list the exact charge against him, but did say that “he faces a possible three-year prison term if convicted.” ...UPDATE 2, July 12 2011: Medina pleaded not guilty to one felony count of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft.

US: Man arrested for helicopter illumination in Burbank CA

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-24T21:46:13-04:00

A Glendale police helicopter was illuminated four times as it came in to land at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. The crew tried to avoid the light as they searched for the perpetrator by using their thermal-imaging camera. Rafael Torosyan, 30, was spotted in a park. Police followed him to an apartment building, where he was found hiding in a doorway. A laser pointer was found in his pocket and Torosyan was arrested on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ...UPDATE MAY 31 2011: A Glendale police helicopter was lased again on May 27. Once again, officers were able to trace the source and arrest a suspect, as reported here.

Australia: Arrest for aiming at TV station helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-21T21:45:50-04:00

A 35-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser pointer at Channel 9’s helicopter on May 20 2011. He was charged with endangering the safe use of a vehicle by directing a beam of light from a laser. According to news reports, the pilot said he was temporarily blinded as he flew over Brisbane: “It’s like staring into the headlights of [a] car ... for a few minutes you lose your vision reference.” From the Courier Mail and ABC News UPDATE, June 29 2011: The man, Morgan Daniel Raine, was fined AUS $1000 (USD $1078) on the endangerment charge, plus $300 for possession of ecstasy which was found during a search of his apartment for the laser pointer. Raine said the lasing was stupid and he meant no harm. ...Fined AUS $1000 for aiming a laser up to five times at a TV helicopter

UK: Teen charged in 30-minute attack

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-20T03:57:44-04:00

An unnamed 17-year-old aimed a laser pen at a police helicopter for 30 minutes. He was arrested and charged with shining a light at an aircraft so as to dazzle or distract the pilot. The incident happened May 18 2011 in the skies over the West Midlands area near Birmingham; the boy is from Warley (Birmingham Mail) or Sandwell (BBC). According to police, the pilot “used his skills to position the aircraft away from the beams during the ground attack.” From the Birmingham Mail and the BBC

New Zealand: Three aircraft targeted over Hamilton

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-16T22:18:14-04:00

Police are asking the public’s help in finding the person(s) who pointed a green laser at aircraft in three separate incidents on May 13 2011. Pilots of a Cessna, an unidentified flight and an Air New Zealand flight all reported having green laser light aimed at their aircraft. Police said that the penalty for endangering aircraft can be up to 14 years in prison. From the Waikato Times and Television New Zealand

US: 18 months in Philadelphia helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-13T22:02:26-04:00

A 22-year-old Philadelphia man will be spending the next year and a half in prison, for an incident where he aimed a green laser at a city police helicopter. The pilot was temporarily blinded, felt a sudden intense pain in his eye, and “lost control”; his co-pilot took over. According to press reports, it is unclear if the man, Lenny Tavarez, knew that the laser could cause a crash. Tavarez was 19, and a recent high school graduate with no criminal record, when the October 2008 incident occurred. He was sentenced May 13 2011. From Philly.com. A report of the original 2008 incident is at ABC 6.

US: "Not the brightest guy" arrested in Fort Myers FL

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-12T08:19:55-04:00

A Fort Myers (Florida) man described by neighbors as “not the brightest guy” was arrested May 11 2011 for illuminating a Lee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter “several times” with a laser beam. According to one news account, “the pilots’ night vision goggles went white and temporarily blinded them .... the deputies suffered irritation to their eyes.” According to another story, a deputy was hit in the eye with the laser beam. (It is not clear from the various news sources whether one or both deputies were wearing night vision goggles, and whether these were removed at some point during the event.) ...A neighbor who saw the helicopter illuminating a house, and who saw multiple sheriff’s office cars speeding towards the house, looked outside and saw a green light: “I seen the laser flying around and we didn’t know what it was.” Officers found 29-year-old Michael Wayne Smith outside the house, “pointing an LED flashlight throughout the yard.” He was arrested and later charged with Public Order Crimes -- Pointing a Laser Light at a Pilot.

New Zealand: 2 teens charged after illuminating police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-11T10:41:30-04:00

19-year-old Joshua O’Hare-Knight and 17-year-old James Spiers were arrested on charges of endangering transport, after repeatedly shining a laser pointer at a police helicopter on May 7 2011. The two face up to 14 years in prison. A police spokesperson did not want to comment about the incident because “he did not want to draw attention to it and risk copycat crimes.” From the New Zealand Herald UPDATE May 31 2011: Added the name of the second teenager, as reported by the Otago Daily Times UPDATE 2 February 8 2012: The two persons appeared in court; a LaserPointerSafety.com news item is here .

US: LA Sheriff's Department announces 4 arrests

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-05-01T18:30:56-04:00

From September 2010 through April 2011, lasers have been pointed at Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopters six times. ... • A 16-year-old boy from Los Alamitos, for an incident in late April 2011, in the Pico Rivera sheriff’s station area. • A 15-year-old boy from Pico Rivera, for an incident in December 2010, also in the Pico Rivera sheriff’s station area. • A 25-year-old man from Maywood, for an incident in December 2010. • A 25-year-old man from La Puente, for an incident in September 2010. A helicopter pilot said that lasers have “caused long term damage to some pilots”. Officials also noted that incidents have forced pilots to land or to break off their operations in order to take evasive action.

US: Teen on Sacramento "Most Wanted" list for skipping probation

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-29T22:55:45-04:00

Sacramento police have put Jacob George Risch, 19, on their local “Most Wanted” list for failing to complete conditions of his probation for lasing a California Highway Patrol airplane. Risch and a second youth were apprehended June 20, 2010 after aiming a green laser beam at the aircraft six times. The second youth was released; Risch was arrested on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft and possession of small amount of marijuana. ...He pleaded no contest on September 13 2010 to a felony count of discharging a laser at an aircraft. ... On November 30, his probation was revoked for failure to complete the terms of his sentence. He was put on the Sacramento Police Department “Most Wanted” list on January 17 2011. ...LaserPointerSafety.com has not been able to find any indication of his removal from the Most Wanted list, or news items of any capture or arrest.

US: Jurors find spotlight misuser guilty on one charge, not guilty on another

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-28T21:59:45-04:00

Jurors deliberated for a day in a case where a man aimed a spotlight at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter on September 22 2010. ...According to the Seattle Times, Groen said he aimed the spotlight at the Border Protection helicopter because he was “curious” about their activities, bothered by the noise, and “wanted to alert the pilots as to how close they were to his home.” ...The Bellingham Herald reports that some of Groen’s neighbors have been annoyed by Border Protection activities, such as frequent low-level helicopter flights and vehicles traveling through their yards and fields. They “have been tempted” to spotlight helicopters, and felt that threat of a long prison term (up to 40 years) for Groen was excessive. One man quoted by the paper said he was in an old barn at night when a helicopter hovered overhead and the metal roof began to rattle and shake: “Had I had a good flashlight I would have shined it up at that black object to see what it was.” ...UPDATE August 4 2011: Wayne Groen was sentenced to two months in prison, 90 days of home detention, 120 hours of community service, three years of community supervision, and a $5,000 fine for incapacitating an individual during the authorized operation of an aircraft. ... The prosecution recommended 10 months; the defense wanted no prison time, one year of probation, 120 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.

Australia: Airplane targeted on takeoff; man arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-20T17:02:32-04:00

He was charged with using a prohibited weapon and committing an act to threaten the safety of an aircraft. (In NSW, laser pointers above a certain power are classed as “prohibited weapons” and may not be possessed or used without a permit.) The arrest occurred one day after a commercial aircraft taking off from Sydney Airport reported being illuminated by laser light. Police had reports of green laser use in Bardwell Park, west of the airport, and tracked the use to the 27-year-old. ...UPDATE, MAY 10 2011: Two men were arrested, 27-year-old Sergio Mitso Nagaoka and 21-year-old Lucas Fagundes Olhiara. ... Nagaoka was charged with using a prohibited weapon, and threatening the safety of an aircraft. ... (Note: Some news reports transposed the 21-year-old’s name, writing it as “Lucas Olhiara Fagundes”.

US: 13-year-old charged in laser pointer incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-18T16:14:34-04:00

A 13-year-old was charged with reckless endangerment and “laser pointer misuse” after a Maryland State Police helicopter was tracked on April 17 2011, in eastern Baltimore County. Both pilots were temporarily blinded by the green beam. They were able to recover their night vision and train their spotlight on a home that the boy ran into. Ground units recovered a laser pointer from the home. A police spokesperson called the event a “dangerous and irresponsible act... I urge parents whose children have laser pointers to remind them that engaging in this dangerous activity could lead to criminal charges.” From the Essex-Middle River Patch and Southern Maryland Online

UK: Eight months in prison for Maidstone man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-15T17:56:49-04:00

A 21-year-old Maidstone man has been sentenced to eight months in prison for endangering the Kent and Essex Police helicopter while it was on a task in Maidstone last year. On the evening of June 24 2010 the police helicopter was carrying out a search in the town centre when someone shining a laser pen in the direction of the aircraft distracted the pilot. The laser lit up the flight deck, dazzling the pilot and forcing him to remove a hand from the flight controls to shield his eyes. ...He was later charged with recklessly or negligently acting in a way that was likely to endanger an aircraft, contrary to the Civil Aviation Act 1982. ...Acting Superintendent Nicola Faulconbridge of the Force Contact and Control Centre said: “This was a very dangerous thing to do and consequences could have been far more serious, but for the skills of the pilot. ... It is testament to his flying skills that he maintained control of the craft but it was an act that not only endangered the crew but also those below in Maidstone town centre.” His Honour Judge Macdonald QC, passing sentence, said Tomlinson came from a good home with a good mother and had shown genuine remorse but that a suspended sentence wouldn't provide a deterrent to others.

UK: 21-year-old gets 6 month sentence for Northumbria lasing

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-15T15:59:56-04:00

Aiming a green laser pen at a Northumbria Police helicopter resulted in a 6-month jail sentence -- and a missed career in the RAF -- for Jonathan Quantrill, 21, of Plessey Gardens, North Shields. Quantrill repeatedly aimed a green laser at the helicopter on August 22 2010, after drinking two cans of beer. The pilot reported that his night vision was degraded. He was able to lead officers on the ground to Quantrill’s home, where the 21-year-old was found with the laser pen. At sentencing, the judge noted that although Quantrill was “a perfectly decent young man ... showing off your newly purchased laser pen to friends”, it was important to set an example: “Others should know if they behave as you did they are likely to go to prison.” From Chronicle Live

Australia: Three aircraft targeted in Sydney

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-14T18:10:43-04:00

Three commercial flights were illuminated by lasers within a 90-minute period as they were landing at Sydney Airport on April 13 2011. The first incident happened about 9 pm, the second was at 10:25 and the third came at 10:28. The pilot of the third airplane was illuminated directly in the eye; there was no reported injury. News accounts noted that “high powered laser pointers are prohibited weapons and can’t be possessed without a permit.” From Sky News and the Sydney Morning Herald

US: Over two years in prison, $10,000 fine for lasering police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-13T17:57:08-04:00

James Gautieri, 53, was sentenced on April 13 2011 to 33 months in prison plus a $10,000 fine for the April 30 2008 illumination of a police helicopter in Philadelphia. ... The chopper pilot testified that he was temporarily blinded and the aircraft went into a nosedive. He said he would have crashed if his co-pilot had not taken over the controls. The judge called Gautieri a “liar” for claiming that he was using the laser to follow stars. Philadelphia police commissioner Charles Ramsey said “Let the sentencing today send a message that this behavior will not be tolerated.” U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said “As a direct result of his reckless and irresponsible behavior, the defendant will now have several years to think about how he endangered public safety by shining a laser into a helicopter pilot's eyes.” From NBC Philadelphia, CBS Philly and an FBI press release

US: Phoenix man arrested; cousin told him too late it was illegal

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-11T13:22:20-04:00

A Phoenix, Arizona man was arrested April 8 2011 after illuminating a police helicopter with a green laser pointer. The pilot’s vision was obstructed for “two to three seconds” but no other adverse effect was reported. The man, 26-year-old Corey Blake Hubley, was playing with his cousin’s laser pointer by aiming it into the sky. When he realized he had pointed it at a helicopter, he turned off the pointer, according to Hubley’s account. His cousin then told him that pointing at aircraft was illegal. When police arrived, Hubley admitted he had aimed at the helicopter. Hubley was charged with endangerment, which is a felony.

US: 30 days in jail for Midway laser illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-04-01T17:24:29-04:00

24-year-old Elvin Slater pleaded guilty on April 1 2011 to the misdemeanor of unlawful use of a weapon -- a laser pointer aimed at aircraft. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 18 months of probation, and one month in a “sheriff’s work alternative program” The charge stemmed from a March 17 incident when he and Shania Smith, 22, aimed a laser at a Southwest Airlines flight that was landing at Midway Airport, and then again at a police helicopter that was investigating the Southwest illumination. Both Slater and Smith were initially charged with two counts of discharging a laser pointer at a police officer and four counts of discharging a laser at an aircraft. Smith is awaiting trial on May 4. From the Chicago Sun-Times and WLS-AM

Germany: Man suspected in multiple laser incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-30T21:02:10-04:00

A 43-year-old man was arrested March 30 2011 after a pilot was “blinded strongly” while landing at the Münster Osnabrück International Airport (“A” below) in South Saxony. A woman in Georgsmarienhütte (“B” below, about 30 km from the airport) reported the man had been using a laser pointer in a residential area. Police found the man with a 15 cm (6 in) laser. A number of similar illuminations from Georgsmarienhütte had been previously reported. Police said they would investigate whether the man arrested was responsible for the other illuminations as well. The man would be charged with “dangerous interference with the aircraft”, which carries a sentence of six months to 10 years. From NWZ Online and Bild.de (both in German)

Grenada: Increasing incidents

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-28T21:10:00-04:00

A number of pilots have reported lasers being aimed at their aircraft, reports the Grenada Airports Authority. The incidents occur when landing at Maurice Bishop International Airport. Violators could be charged with interfering with air crew duties. The Authority is looking for the laser perpetrator(s), and has posted notices in newspapers stating that shining lights at aircraft is “a security offense”. Also, several pilots have filed complaints with the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority. From the Virgin Islands News Online

New Zealand: 17-year-old charged

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-27T10:49:48-04:00

The grandson of a prominent New Zealander was arrested after shining a green laser onto a police helicopter on March 25 2011. 17-year-old Joseph Mark James Corban was charged with reckless disregard for the safety of a police helicopter, which can be punished with up to 14 years in prison. The teenager’s grandfather is the late Joe Corban, MBE, a key figure in developing New Zealand winemaking. A Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said “people didn’t realize what a hazard lasers can be to aircraft.” From the New Zealand Herald

US: Army helicopter crew illuminated over Pa., perpetrator sought

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-23T13:27:21-04:00

Information is being sought in a laser strike that happened at 8:44 pm on Tuesday, March 22 2011. A crew member of an Army AH-64A Apache helicopter was illuminated “directly in the eyes” at an altitude of about 1500 feet while over the small borough of Myerstown, Pennsylvania (pop. ... The beam came from near the intersection of Routes 622 and 645, according to state police. The perpetrator could be charged with reckless endangerment. Anyone with information is asked to call the state police at 717-865-2194. There was no word as to whether the crew member claimed an injury, or had a non-injurious light exposure. ...Note that the online story stated Route “465” at the time we viewed it, but police confirmed this is a typo; the road is Route 645.

US: Three boys charged with felony near Nashville

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-19T17:37:33-04:00

Two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old were charged with felony endangerment after aiming a laser at a medical helicopter and three commercial aircraft near Nashville International Airport, late in the evening of March 17 2011. The location of the youths was identified via GPS. Although no one answered the door when police knocked, the father of one of the teenagers later called police, which led to the arrests. The map shows the general area of the arrest: From WBIR

US: Florida man pleads guilty to helicopter illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-18T23:02:26-04:00

Mark Clay Hazlett pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with the operation of an aircraft. He could receive up to 20 years in prison. The charge stems from a Nov. 21 2010 incident when Hazlett aimed a green laser pointer at a police helicopter. The crew was forced to break off their search in order to deal with the laser illuminations. ...Hazlett will be sentenced at a later date. ...UPDATE, JUNE 2 2011: Hazlitt was sentenced to five years probation on the federal charge. He said the incident was “very bad judgment.”

US: 2 arrested at Midway for plane & helicopter illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-18T06:24:57-04:00

Two adults have been arrested after a laser was aimed at a commercial plane near Midway Airport in Chicago. ... The incident happened at about 8:30 pm local time on Thursday, March 17 2011. ...UPDATE, MARCH 19 2011: The aircraft was a Southwest Airlines flight from San Francisco, with 137 passengers and a crew of five, that was landing at Midway. ... Smith had just met Slater for the first time earlier that day. Smith said “I don’t know how it got in my car”, and that the first time she saw it was during the arrest, according to the Chicago Tribune. ... Both Smith and Slater were charged with “discharging a laser pointer at a police officer and discharging a laser at an aircraft”, which are misdemeanors. ...UPDATE, APRIL 1 2011: Smith pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count and received a 30-day jail sentence, 18 months probation, and one month in a sheriff’s work program.

US: Ohio man gets 2 days; says he did not understand laser's effect

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-16T23:54:56-04:00

25-year-old Timothy Lyman pleaded guilty to an October 20 2010 incident where he aimed a laser at a Columbus Ohio police helicopter, temporarily blinding the pilot and co-pilot. When arrested, he admitted to his actions and handed the laser pointer to police. He had originally been charged with a felony (interfering with the operation of an aircraft with a laser), but on March 16 2011 he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, attempted interfering with operation of an aircraft. He told the court “I really do apologize for what happened. I didn't understand (that) what I did would have that effect." Lyman was sentenced to the two days he served in jail after his arrest. From the Columbus Dispatch

Australia: Laser illumination at Sydney Airport

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-14T18:22:59-04:00

An aircraft landing at Sydney Airport was lased about 9 pm March 13 2011. The green beam appeared to come from the Redfern or Surry Hills area. New South Wales prohibits the possession of laser pointers without a permit, and classifies them as dangerous weapons. From the Sydney Morning Herald

Canada: UPDATED - 99 cent laser leads to weapons assault charge for Winnipeg man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-10T23:25:50-05:00

A man who just bought a laser pointer for 99 cents on eBay, and who wanted to see how far it could go, was arrested for pointing it at a Winnipeg police helicopter on March 9 2011. Global News reported that he hit the female pilot “directly in the eyes” with the green beam. Sheldon Friesen, 26, faces provincial charges of assault with a weapon, and possible federal charges with a maximum penalty of a CDN $100,000 fine and/or five years in prison. ...I don’t know how far forever is, so I see something in the sky that’s worth reflecting, well why not? .... ...It took only about five minutes from the time he first aimed at the helicopter, to his arrest by three ground-based units. Just before his arrest, Sheldon Friesen demonstrates to police officers his laser pointer (green glow at bottom center). ...The judge agreed that he did not realize the danger: “You do seem like you were genuinely surprised by the consequences of your actions.”

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

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-10T22:37:34-05:00

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. 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

US: $5000 reward offered in Maryland airplane illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-03-01T17:30:15-05:00

A $5000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) who aimed a laser into the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines flight approaching Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The flight, which originated in Milwaukee, was 2000 feet over the town of Millersville, near Old Mill Road and Kenora Drive, when it was illuminated around 6:45 pm on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011. ...According to the FBI, the eyes of both pilots were injured. The pilots “took their eyes off of the instruments during final approach, but the aircraft landed safely.” The reward money is coming from both the FBI and Maryland Transportation Authority Police. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 410-265-8080 or the Maryland Transportation Authority Police at 410-859-7041. ...Thanks to Dan Hewett, FDA/CDRH for bringing this to our attention.

US: Police search Phoenix neighborhood after multiple hits

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-25T15:31:06-05:00

A news helicopter, checking out a laser incident involving a traffic-reporting airplane, was itself illuminated multiple times. The reporter in the helicopter was surprised a laser could be so intense: “I didn’t realize how bright it was,” Tammy Rose was quoted as saying. “From the ground, it doesn’t look like it shoots that far into the sky. … I was surprised at how much it actually lit up the screens. ...Police went door to door after the 6:30 am Friday Feb. 25 2011 illumination, in an attempt to find a suspect. ...The animation above shows frames from just before and just after a direct hit on the news helicopter. ... (Don’t click on the gray “Play” button in the center -- it is part of the screen capture, and is not a working button.)

Canada: 10-year-old tracks police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-18T16:37:01-05:00

A 10-year-old illuminated a York Regional Police helicopter multiple times with a green laser pointer on Feb. 16 2011. The pilot broke off an active search and “immediately navigated the helicopter to safety” after noticing the green light. Police located the source and talked with the youth’s parents, who had been home during the incident. They were aware the boy had the pointer, but did not know the boy was tracking aircraft with it. ...York police said there have been four incidents so far in 2011, and more than 12 in 2010. On Feb. 18 they put out a press release reminding parents that laser pointers are not a toy, and that charges can be brought for illuminating civilian and police aircraft. ... • Projection of a bright light source at an aircraft;

Canada: Man gets lower fine, in part because pilot did not lose control

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-18T00:29:27-05:00

• Count 1 was a violation of section 7.41(1) of the Aeronautics Act, intentional “...behaviour that endangers the safety or security of an aircraft in flight or of the persons on board an aircraft in flight....” ... • Count 2 was a violation of section 7.3(3) of the Aeronautics Act (also section 601.20 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations), “project[ing] a bright light source ... to create a hazard to aviation safety or cause damage to an aircraft or injury to persons on board the aircraft.” ...A key fact, not disputed by the prosecution, was that Bautista had been testing his son’s laser by aiming it at a tree. ... It took the pilot about one minute to fly to the source; during the first 45 seconds of this flight, the helicopter “was struck on and off with the light from the laser.” ...Nelson said Bautista “knew the seriousness of the prohibited conduct [his father was a pilot and he knew about laser hazards] but he ‘unknowingly’ committed the offense” since he was unaware of the laser light going through the tree onto an unseen helicopter. ...Although the judge did not specifically mention the pilot’s actions, Sully may have felt the pilot brought on some of the hits since 1) Bautista was scanning onto a tree without knowing what was behind it and 2) the pilot flew in a straight line towards the laser. ...The fine was not specifically to deter the offender -- the judge felt Bautista would not do it again -- but as a “need for general deterrence” in order “to make the public aware of the potential consequences of a laser on aircrafts.”

US: California woman arrested for illuminating two helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-17T09:45:04-05:00

Police announced that on Feb. 5, they arrested a Long Beach (California) woman for illuminating two helicopters on Jan. 29 2011, causing one to break off an aerial search for suspects who had shot at detectives. Officers on the ground located 34-year-old Kelly Ann Smith. They took her laser pointer and released her so they could continue searching for the shooting suspects. One week later, she was arrested, spent the night in jail, and was released the next day on $20,000 bail. She faces two felony counts of discharging a laser at an aircraft. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Police said they hoped the arrest would send a message that this type of offense would be punished harshly.” From the Los Angeles Times and the Long Beach Post

Australia: UPDATED - 2008 "cluster attack" caused by boys on bicycles

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-11T11:46:27-05:00

In an incident in late March 2008, six planes had to alter their flight paths into Sydney’s airport after pilots reported a “coordinated cluster attack” of “up to four” laser beams. This incident has been cited numerous times as perhaps being a dry run or test for some more sinister laser usage. However, it turns out that this incident was caused by boys on bicycles, apparently acting without pre-planning and not knowing how the lasers would affect pilot vision. During a Feb. 2011 briefing to the SAE G10T laser safety group , FAA flight standards liaison Patrick Hempen said that the truth about Sydney has not caught up with the news stories: “The attacks are usually spontaneous in nature, perpetrated by careless or malicious persons.” Hempen said that investigation by US and Australian officials revealed that the Sydney "cluster attack" was caused by youths, riding their bicycles on a golf course at night, who stopped and took the occasion to illuminate landing aircraft. He noted that the youths’ local community had a history of acrimony directed at the airport authority due to the construction of a new runway which caused more flights over their residential area. Hempen also investigated several laser events in the Mideast and found many of the so-called "deliberate attacks" to be similar; they were “events perpetrated by youths, in a party-like atmosphere, without care or knowledge of the havoc that they were causing.”

US: 14-year-old arrested in LAX incident; did not think laser could reach aircraft

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-09T10:01:21-05:00

A 14-year-old boy was arrested Feb. 8 2011 for “shining a laser light into the eyes of a pilot” landing at Los Angeles International Airport. ...NBC Los Angeles reported that the boy also aimed at the police helicopter. ... According to the Daily Mail, the boy thought that “the light would not go up to the height of the aircraft.” The map below shows the area of the arrest (“A” on the map) in relation to the airport which is about 8 miles to the southwest. NBCLA’s news helicopter, which was covering the arrest, was targeted by a second laser for about three seconds. ... The second beam came from an area about one block away. ...Note: The Huffington Post, citing CNN, reported that the 14-year-old was a girl, but other press reports said the suspect was a boy.

US: California man could face 4+ years in prison for helicopter illumination

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-02-09T09:03:28-05:00

A new product for 2011, the DeluxGear PinPoint Focus Assist uses a laser pointer as a focus and aiming aid for photographers. ... It emits a green dot onto the subject, which allows focusing in low-light or even full darkness. For aiming, it is not necessary to be at the camera; just point the green dot onto the desired subject. ...The focus range is from 2.5ft/7.5m to 131ft/40m; the aiming range is 700ft/210m in low-light and “further in darkness”. ...This can be particularly dangerous if the exposed person is engaged in a vision-critical activity such as driving or other means of transportation.” ...In some jurisdictions it is illegal for a minor to purchase or use a laser product ...This means the beam does NOT come on when the shutter button is pressed, but instead is controlled by a separate switch on the PinPoint.

Canada: Calgary "amateur astronomer" charged

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-29T08:33:18-05:00

A 39-year-old Calgary man was charged after a Jan. 5 2011 incident where a radio station traffic airplane, and a television helicopter, were illuminated by a green laser. Chris Sean Saulnier faces “one count of endangering the safety or security of an aircraft in flight..., two counts of projecting a light source into navigable airspace in such a manner to create a hazard to aviation safety, and two counts of mischief to property.” Saulnier said he bought the $100 laser for his work as a contractor and as an amateur astronomer. He cooperated with police and was “remorseful and took full responsibility for his actions” according to a police spokesman. From the Calgary Herald

UK: Six month sentence suspended for Cheshire man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-28T18:31:45-05:00

27-year-old Joseph Standish pleaded guilty on January 28 2011 to aiming a green laser at a Cheshire Police helicopter. A police observer on board was disoriented for a few seconds during the August 2010 incident. He was able to use thermal imaging equipment and a low-light lens to track the laser to Standish’s address in Winsford. Before officers arrived, Standish dropped the laser into a drain. He denied the incident, but went to the Winsford Police Station the next day where he admitted aiming at the helicopter. Standish was convicted of acting recklessly or negligently in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. He was sentenced to six months in prison which was suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 150 hours of community service.

US: Firing gun at helicopter: 10 years; using lasers: 3-20 years

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-21T22:45:49-05:00

Jason Dennis McGuire was convicted Jan 21 2011 of firing a handgun at an Orange County Sheriff’s Office helicopter in March 2010. ...In a parallel case, the Sentinel notes that another Orlando man, Frank Newton Anderson, “faces up to 20 years in prison for interfering with the operation of an aircraft” by shining a laser at an Orange County Sheriff’s Office helicopter in April 2010. Anderson pleaded guilty on January 20 2011 to one count of interfering with an aircraft, Anderson also will be sentenced in April 2011. ...GUN UPDATE: On April 26 2011, Jason Dennis McGuire was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for firing a handgun at a sheriff’s helicopter, according to the Orlando Sentinel. ...LASER UPDATE: In July 2011, Frank Newton Anderson was sentenced to one year probation and a $4000 fine for interfering with the operation of an aircraft, according to the Orlando Sentinel. ... • January 21 2011 update on a possible 10-year sentence for firing a gun at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter vs. a possible 20-year sentence for Anderson aiming a laser at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter is here. ... • September 16 2011 update here quoting the Orlando Sentinel as stating that Anderson was sentenced in July 2011 to one year’s probation and a $4000 fine.

US: NFL team Seattle Seahawks plane hit by laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-17T11:49:22-05:00

A chartered airplane carrying the Seattle Seahawks football team was illuminated with a laser while landing at Sea-Tac Airport on January 16 2011. The team was returning from a playoff loss to the Chicago Bears earlier that day. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was about 2 miles from the runway when it was hit. The incident was reported to local police. As of January 19, no suspect has been identified. From SB Nation and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

US: UPDATED - 3-year prison sentence for targeting police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-10T17:19:35-05:00

A Massachusetts man was sentenced to three years in federal prison, for the December 8, 2007 illumination of a state police helicopter. ...52-year-old Gerard Sasso aimed a Class 3B green laser, said to be “at least five to ten times more powerful than an ordinary laser pointer” [approximately 25 to 50 milliwatts], at a helicopter that was escorting a liquified natural gas tanker through Boston Harbor. ...News reports quoted prosecutors as saying that Sasso was the second person in the U.S. to be convicted of lasing an aircraft. They also pointed to the November 2009 sentence of a California man who received 2.5 years for shining a laser at two airplanes and temporarily blinding a pilot. [This may refer to federal prison sentences, since others in the U.S. have received jail time for laser/aircraft incidents. ...The jury was told that it was sufficient for them to find that Sasso “willfully” aimed his laser at the helicopter. However Sasso’s public defender argued August 1 2012 in appeals court that Sasso had to willfully know that his actions would interfere with the aircraft operator.

US: UPDATED - Helicopter pilots injured in Florida laser incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2011-01-05T14:11:51-05:00

The helicopter was 500 feet in the air, and about 1/2 to 3/4 mile away (800 to 1200 meters) from Moreno’s home during the incident. A follow-up press report on Jan. 3 said the pilots were grounded, awaiting the results of medical evaluations which will “determine whether they will be able to immediately return to flying.” [Although the newspaper story indicated that the pilots were wearing night vision goggles, they did not have them on during the laser exposure, a person familiar with the investigation told LaserPointerSafety.com. Also, it should be noted that visible laser light would not cause broken blood vessels on the surface of the eye (“red eye”). ... Visible laser light is a potential hazard to the retina, and not to the surface of the eye.] ...Although the youths were arrested on a Florida felony charge, a news report on January 18 said that no state charges had been filed against Moreno or Ramos. ... [As of July 2013, an online search by LaserPointerSafety.com was unable to find any additional action taken against the youths.]

US: Up to 20 years in prison possible in Orlando helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-12-23T10:52:26-05:00

A 43-year-old man has admitted guilt in an April 13 2010 incident when he hit a Sheriff’s Office helicopter two times as it flew over Orlando. ... Frank Newton Anderson can face up to 20 years in federal prison for one count of interfering with the operation of an aircraft. He will enter his guilty plea before a judge on January 19 2011. ... • Original news item about the April 13 2010 incident is here. ... • January 21 2011 update on a possible 10-year sentence for firing a gun at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter vs. a possible 20-year sentence for Anderson aiming a laser at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter is here. • June 4 2011 update on judge withdrawing from Anderson’s case because prosecutors would not drop felony charge is here. ... • September 16 2011 update here quoting the Orlando Sentinel as stating that Anderson was sentenced in July 2011 to one year’s probation and a $4000 fine.

US: Maryland man arrested on multiple charges

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-11-24T10:32:53-05:00

A 35-year-old man who illuminated a State Police helicopter was charged by Maryland with reckless endangerment, attempted second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, and prohibited use of a laser pointer. ...Hopwood of Sykesville, MD “repeatedly targeted” the helicopter. Ground police were notified; the helicopter then located the source. Hopgood was arrested by a trooper without incident. "Shining lasers at aircraft can have dangerous and even deadly consequences," Maryland State Police said in a news release. "A direct laser strike in the cockpit can cause temporary blindness and disorientation for the flight crew." ...Thanks to Howard Donovan for bringing this to our attention.

US: Florida man annoyed at copter shines laser; arrested

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-11-22T15:38:55-05:00

A 58-year-old deliberately targeted a Polk County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on Sunday Nov. 21 because he was “tired of hearing it”. ...Mark Clay Hazlitt was arrested and charged under Florida law with Misuse of Laser Lighting Device, a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sheriff Grady Judd said “Mr. Hazlitt deliberately interfered with a search in which deputies were trying to locate a man who said he was going to take his life. The laser used was strong enough to disrupt night vision devices thus creating a very real danger to our air unit crew. He deliberately placed the lives of our pilot and flight observer in jeopardy, as well as those on the ground had the helicopter crashed. ...UPDATE #1, MARCH 18 2011: In January 2011, a grand jury indicted Hazlitt on a more serious U.S. federal charge of interfering with the operation of an aircraft. ...Hazlitt said the incident was “very bad judgment,” and has started a website, laserawareness.us, to publicize the dangers of pointer misuse.

US: 15 months in prison for 19-year-old

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-10-25T17:48:10-04:00

A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 15 months in U.S. federal prison, for illuminating a California Highway Patrol helicopter with a green laser beam. ...The June 3 2009 incident caused the helicopter pilots to be “momentarily blinded” and to change course -- breaking off from assisting police in a burglary investigation. ... During an interview with FBI agents in January 2010, "the defendant admitted that he pointed a green laser at the helicopter, which he knew was a police helicopter," according to the plea agreement, which says "he acted with reckless disregard for the safety of human life." In July 2010, Wells pled guilty to the felony of willfully interfering with an operator of an aircraft. ...Note: Sources differ on Wells’ age at sentencing; some say he was 19, others say he was 20. Sources also differ on the maximum penalty possible for interference with an operator of an aircraft; some say 3.5 years is the maximum, others say 20 years. And, sources differ on the date of the guilty plea; some say July 2010, others say September 2010.

US: Grand jury indicts man for hitting patrol plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-10-21T13:04:27-04:00

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Samuel Gregory Liebman, 51, of Roseville California, with interference with an aircraft for pointing a laser at a California Highway Patrol plane. The indictment alleges that on August 30, 2010, Liebman struck a CHP Cessna 206 multiple times with a powerful green laser while it was flying . This case is the product of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and Federal Air Marshals with the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jean M. Hobler is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Liebman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. From a U.S. Department of Justice press release

US: 366 days in prison for interfering with patrol helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-09-28T13:11:25-04:00

Both pilots reported being unable to see during portions of their flight, and one reported a lingering headache severe enough to render him unable to pilot an aircraft for several hours after the incident. Officers on the ground then confronted Nighswander who admitted pointing his laser at the helicopter and directed officers to where he had hidden the laser in his garage. During the September 28 2010 sentencing, Nighswander apologized to the California Highway Patrol and its officers for endangering the flight. He agreed with Judge John A. Mendez’s observation that he could have killed someone. In determining that a sentence of one year and one day was appropriate, Judge Mendez noted Nighswander’s near lifetime drug addiction and Nighswander’s significant steps in battling and overcoming that addiction following his arrest, as well as his prompt and continuing acknowledgment that his actions were dangerous and stupid. Nighswander is expected to begin serving his sentence in December 2010. This case is the product of a joint investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the Federal Air Marshals and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

US: Rhode Island man lases boats, airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-09-21T19:20:21-04:00

A 31-year-old man from Warwick, Rhode Island was arrested after admitting that he pointed a green laser at a boat, a car and a Continental Airlines plane. ...Rhode Island State Police charged him with disorderly conduct, while he faced federal charges of “interfering with an aircraft with reckless disregard for safety.” At a press conference held September 23, the U.S. attorney for Rhode Island said, “It comes down to personal responsibility. ...A Department of Justice press release said that Aquino “faces a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; and $250,000 fine.” UPDATE #2: On September 12 2011, Aquino was sentenced to six months of home confinement plus five years probation. The judge also ordered him to continue undergoing mental health counseling, be drug tested 72 times each year, and perform 500 hours of community service. ... The judge gave a more lenient sentence after hearing about Aquino’s good behavior in the year since the laser attack occurred.

UK: 4 months for steady aiming at RAF Tornado jet

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-09-16T14:26:40-04:00

An RAF Tornado fighter jet was illuminated by a beam “focused on the jet cockpit for up to ten seconds”, on 16 August 2010, at RAF Leuchars airbase (near St. ... One month later, 28-year-old Romanian migrant worker Radu Moldovan pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly endangering a military aircraft. He received a four-month sentence. Four month sentence for Radu Moldovan His lawyer said that Moldovan “wanted to see how powerful” the £4 green laser pen was. The laser beam was aimed at or near the aircraft multiple times. The local sheriff said “The consequences of a Tornado crashing at RAF Leuchars raises the most horrific possibilities of death and injury to the pilot, navigator and anyone passing underneath.”

UK: Two men fined £400 after hitting helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-09-15T17:38:05-04:00

Two young men were arrested September 1 in Cambridge for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter. On September 14 they were found guilty of “directing or shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot”. They were fined £150 each, plus £85 in court costs and a £15 “victim surcharge”. ...22-year-old Shane Ramsay and 20-year-old Darryl Hodgkinson said they bought the green pointer for £20 and aimed it at the police helicopter “for a laugh”. Their attorney said the two men “had no idea what they did could potentially endanger the pilot’s eyesight.” A local police sergeant was quoted as saying “This his kind of stupidity is increasing in the aviation world. It is reckless and foolhardy and those who do so will be arrested and brought before the courts.”

US: Dallas spotlight illuminates jet on final approach

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-08-31T14:43:18-04:00

A Southwest Airlines jet on final approach reported a “laser strike” after being hit by a bright non-laser spotlight August 29 2010. The Bombshells strip club (red “A” on the map below) had a “spinning search light” on its roof, located about 2 miles from Dallas Love Field. The jet was hit at an altitude of 1000 feet. The club said the light was “installed at an angle” which they were told would not be a problem for aircraft. An FAA official said that incidents like this had the potential to cause a problem such as the co-pilot having to complete a landing. ...Location of Bombshells, relative to the Dallas Love Field approach. ...Feb. 2011 note: The club may have changed its name since the incident, to “Dallas Cabaret”.

Canada: UPDATED - Arrest in Calgary helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-08-17T11:31:23-04:00

34-year-old Jason John McConnell of Calgary was arrested Aug. 16 for hitting a police helicopter multiple times with a “high-powered laser”. ... He is also faces federal charges of projecting a bright light source at an aircraft, and lessening an aircraft crew’s ability to perform its duties. The Calgary Police Service’s Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWC), was on patrol when hit by a green beam at 10:45 pm. ...Police tracked the beam to McConnell’s home about 10 km (6 mi) away, arrested him and seized what they describe as a “high-powered laser”. McConnell claimed it was an accident: “I was playing with it inside the house and it hit a mirror. ...UPDATE 2 June 19 2012: On June 18 2012, McConnell pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of mischief causing damage to property, and to projecting a bright light at an aircraft to cause a hazard under the Aeronautics Act. ...The first two months of the conditional term will be under house arrest; the remaining four months he will have a curfew from 10 pm to 5 am.

South Africa: Man arrested for aiming at helicopter during World Cup

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-06-20T23:20:51-04:00

A 35-year-old man was arrested for aiming a laser at a police helicopter in Durban, at a World Cup event. ... A pilot had complained a few days earlier of light from a beachfront fan park affecting his vision. When it happened again on June 26, Ebrahim was identified and arrested. ...However, the prosecutor decided it was not a World Cup case and referred it to the Durban Magistrate’s Court. Ebrahim was charged with “performing an act which jeopardizes or may jeopardize the safety of an aircraft.” ...Update, January 11 2012: An Internet search has not turned up any news stories about the outcome of Ebrahim’s case. A story in The New Age indicates that there have only been two South African laser incidents that resulted in arrests -- the Ebrahim case, and a January 2012 arrest of three persons.

US: Man sentenced to 2 years for lasing helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-05-25T21:30:02-04:00

Clint Jason Brenner, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison for hitting an Arizona police helicopter with a green laser pointer. On Dec. 9 2009, the helicopter was searching for a burglary suspect when “green laser light struck its windshield, causing glare that blinded the pilot for an instant.” Because “the light put the pilot and crew member in danger”, in April 2010 a jury found Brenner guilty of two counts of endangerment, which is a felony. Two years in prison for laser-caused endangerment On May 24, a judge sentenced Brenner to two years on each count, with the two 2-year terms to run concurrently. In addition, Brenner was ordered to pay $500 in court-related costs. From the Prescott, Arizona Daily Courier

US: Multiple laser incidents at New York airports

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-04-19T22:07:15-04:00

WABC is reporting that three aircraft at JFK International Airport had laser incidents in the last three days (since April 17). They also report an incident at nearby LaGuardia Airport yesterday (April 18). ...According to WABC, on Saturday April 17, a JetBlue flight originating in Portland, Maine was landing at JFK “when suddenly the pilots were distracted by an intensely bright green laser”. According to tower transcripts, the pilot said the laser was “directly pointing right at us. I saw the flash to the left looked, looked out left as I was landing. Put my head down, put up the sun screen.” ... Although the pilot initially looked towards the light, the pilot then took steps to reduce the light’s effect.]

US: Orlando man faces felony charges

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-04-14T18:53:39-04:00

42-year-old Frank Newton Anderson was arrested on Tuesday, April 13 for pointing a laser at an Orange County (FL) sheriff’s helicopter. ...When ground units directed by the helicopter confronted him, Anderson said the laser (found 100 feet from his vehicle) was not his. ...When arrested, he was wearing a shirt with “Security” printed on it, and in his vehicle were handcuffs, a mask, camouflage paint, knives, and a Glock gun. ...WFTV reporter Kathi Belich, in reporting the story, said “I hate to use a bad pun, but on so many levels he’s not too bright.” ... • January 21 2011 update on a possible 10-year sentence for firing a gun at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter vs. a possible 20-year sentence for Anderson aiming a laser at an Orlando sheriff’s helicopter is here. • June 4 2011 update on judge withdrawing from Anderson’s case because prosecutors would not drop felony charge is here. ... • September 16 2011 update here quoting the Orlando Sentinel as stating that Anderson was sentenced in July 2011 to one year’s probation and a $4000 fine.

US: NJ man arrested in helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-04-14T00:48:15-04:00

A 32-year-old man was arrested for repeatedly flashing a green laser at a National Guard helicopter that was patrolling Camden, New Jersey. Nelson Villalobos Jr. was charged with Interference with Transportation in the April 8 incident. According to CBS 3, the pilot was “blinded” which caused “difficulty in flying the air craft.” Police on the ground located Villalobos, who admitted to flashing the helicopter. He “thought it had been a news helicopter.” From CBS 3

US: Arrest for pointing laser and flashlight at police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-03-16T23:27:14-04:00

A 47-year-old Springfield, Virginia man was charged with pointing a laser and a flashlight at a police helicopter. The incident happened on February 12, when helicopter crew members searching for a suspect in an unrelated case had their vision “blocked” by a green laser and a white light. Police located the house where the lights were coming from. On March 4 they arrested Raymond Jeffrey Poli. He was charged on March 16 with interfering with the operation of an aircraft, endangering life, and obstruction of justice. From MyFoxDC.com

US: Arrest for hitting Orlando sheriff's helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-01-28T14:26:15-05:00

19-year-old Rodrigo Azevedo was arrested in a tourist area of Orlando, for shining a laser at an Orange County (FL) sheriff’s helicopter. ...It happened early in the morning of January 28 2010, near International Drive and Interstate 4. The pilot was forced to break away from a law enforcement call, to avoid the “potentially blinding light”. An observer in the helicopter was able to track the laser to a “carload of young men” traveling on I-4. Other law enforcement officers stopped the car and arrested Azevedo. News reports state “this is the fourth case of this type of crime in recent months. Last month [Dec. 2009] the Direct TV blimp was lasered on its final approach to Orlando Executive Airport after covering the Champs Bowl game in Orlando.”

US: Four years for laser pointer at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2010-01-25T13:20:16-05:00

Before imposing the sentence, Judge O’Flaherty expressed disappointment with Downie: “You defendants find ways to uselessly get into trouble here, but I guess that’s why a lot of people are in jail,” he said. ...“And when these lasers strike your eye, you’re responsible not only for yourself and your air crew, but you’re also responsible for the community that you’re flying the aircraft over.” ...Prosecutor Joseph Hoffmann of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said Downie twice pointed the laser at the Sheriff’s helicopter on July 16, leading to the two felony counts being filed against him. Bogardus told the court that someone in Downie’s neighborhood had pointed a laser at his copter two weeks before the July 16 incident. The sergeant said he was on a routine patrol over Rocklin when a laser beam was shone into the cockpit, striking him and his partner in the eyes. ...While Downie didn’t admit to using the laser in the first incident, he acknowledged that he heard Bogardus’ warning over the P.A. system, the sergeant told the court. When asked why he would shine a laser at an aircraft if he’d already been warned it was a federal crime, Downie answered that “it was reckless and stupid” and that he shouldn’t have done it, Bogardus said.

US: Teen arrested for "shooing" helicopter with laser pointer

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-12-18T06:40:58-05:00

An 18-year-old tried to “shoo away” a Sheriff’s Office helicopter with a 6-inch-long “high powered” laser pointer, because the noise was keeping him awake. Deputies soon arrived at Beau Richard Wallace’s home in Palm Harbor, Florida. They arrested him on a felony charge of misusing a laser lighting device, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. Wallace said he was “just being stupid” and that he had owned the green laser pointer for only a week before the Dec. 17 incident. From the St. Petersburg Times

Israel: 15-year-old aims laser pointer at pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-11-24T18:48:03-05:00

A 15-year-old illuminated a police helicopter in Bat Yam, a city south of Tel Aviv, on November 23 2009. The pilot tried to avoid the laser beam, but the boy kept aiming at the aircraft. When the pilot felt threatened, he called for ground assistance. A motorcycle officer found the boy in a playground, still attempting to hit the helicopter. The boy was detained. During questioning, he “claimed to have known that this was dangerous and expressed regret over the incident.” Original Hebrew article from YNet; Google translation into English available here

US: 2.5 years in prison for Calif. man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-11-03T22:17:57-05:00

Welch had been found guilty in April 2009 of aiming a home-made laser at a United Airlines jet carrying more than 180 people, and at an Alaska Airlines plane with more than 80 people on board, as they came in for landing at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., on May 21, 2008, The Orange County Register reported. The federal jury acquitted Welch of charges he tried to interfere with the pilots of a helicopter and a Delta Air Lines flight, the Register said. There have been several defendants who have pleaded guilty to federal charges of pointing lasers at airplanes, but Welch was the first in the United States to be convicted of interfering with pilots with laser beams, the U.S. attorney's office said. From UPI.com and Orange Police Department UPDATE: City News Service added additional details: The laser beam struck a United pilot in the eye, causing "flash blindness," Garnett said. When Welch pointed the laser at the Alaska plane, one pilot ducked under a glare shield and the other pilot delayed a critical turn necessary to land the plane. From NBC Los Angeles

Canada: Pilot suffers retinal damage; off work for months

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-11-02T22:51:31-05:00

In early September 2009, an air ambulance pilot was illuminated by a laser while transferring a patient to an Ottawa hospital. A news report in early November said that he "suffered retinal damage ... is still off work nearly two months later .... [and] could remain off work for another three months." It was not clear from the story what type of aircraft -- fixed wing or helicopter -- the pilot was flying at the time. Captain Barry Wiszniowski of the Air Canada Pilots Association, stated "Our judicial system has to understand the severity of the consequences. It would be catastrophic if a pilot was impaired by a laser and lost all situational awareness." More statistics and information from Canadian OH&S News.

US: 3+ years in prison for California man

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-10-26T13:37:35-04:00

Balltazar O. Valladares, 30, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for shining a green laser at a Sacramento CA sheriff’s helicopter on March 16 2009 [see report here]. The copter was hit while searching for the source of a laser that earlier in the evening had illuminated a Southwest Airlines flight landing at Sacramento International Airport. Three years and one month in prison for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft Valladares admitted hitting the helicopter but denied hitting the airplane. He pled guilty in June 2009 to one count of interfering with the safe operation of an aircraft. In addition to his 37-month sentence, he also will have three years of probation after his release. In sentencing Valladares, U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb acknowledged the defendant’s “apparently sincere indication to turn his life around,” but said it was important to send the message that shining a laser at aircraft in flight is a “very serious problem (with) very, very serious consequences.”

UK: Teenager apologizes to helicopter crew

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-10-26T13:16:08-04:00

A 17-year-old from South East Wales who shined a laser pen at a police helicopter in July 2009, has apologized in person to the crew. The youth, identified only as "Dennis" visited the crew as part of a "restorative justice programme" to show the implications of his actions. The pilot was quoted as saying "Dennis has learned how dangerous this type of incident can be, and I hope that others will understand the same lesson." Full story, with photo of the meeting, from BBC News

UK: 63-year-old arrested for aiming flashlight (torch)

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-10-18T01:20:00-04:00

Torben Merriott, 63, was arrested for shining a flashlight (torch) at an RAF Apache helicopter, after being awakened at 1 am by two gunships which were on a military exercise. ...Merriott said the gunships sounded like an "earthquake" and were "10 feet above my garden" in his farmhouse near Eye, Suffolk. News reports said he used the flashlight to identify the aircraft, during the September 18 2009 incident. ...Merriott owns a theatrical lighting firm that has lit flying helicopters at a Buckingham Palace event. He insists he did not put the aircraft at risk: "Don't tell the Taliban that all they need is an eight-quid torch to bring down multi-million-pound high-tech gunships." ..."I cannot help feeling that to keep me locked up for nine hours is pretty vindictive, when I was happy to make a statement. It was heavy handed and I think they were trying to teach me a lesson."

Australia: "Did not know the beam was strong enough to reach the plane"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-09-30T21:53:09-04:00

A suburban Brisbane man pleaded guilty and was fined AUS $800 for “endangering the safe use of a vehicle by directing a beam of light from a laser,” after tracking a light aircraft on August 27 2009. 20-year-old Nicholas Paul Gregory told police he had aimed at the aircraft, but “he did not know the beam was strong enough to reach the plane.” At trial, his defense lawyer said Gregory had no intent to harm anyone: “He is still shocked at his own stupidity and the consequences of his own stupidity.” Gregory could have received a maximum penalty of two years in prison. From the Brisbane Times

US: Columbus man aims gun, laser at 2 helicopters

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-09-21T05:25:12-04:00

A 22-year-old Columbus (Ohio) area man was arrested and charged with a felony, after shining a green laser gunsight onto a medical helicopter and then an investigating police helicopter. Officers on the ground found Jared T. Shapiro with the laser, attached to a high-powered rifle. More details at WBNS 10TV

US: Apparent copycat laser incident in Buffalo

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-09-19T13:17:01-04:00

For the second night in a row, someone shined a bright laser into the cockpit of Erie County (NY) sheriff's helicopter. The suspects appeared to be "copycatting" an incident the night before, when three Buffalo area men were arrested and charged with felonies. The second-night suspects were not found, as of the following day. More at WIVB.com and the last two paragraphs of this Buffalo News story.

US: 3 men charged with felony in Buffalo

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-09-18T15:42:02-04:00

Three men from the Buffalo, New York area face felony criminal charges after pointing a green laser at a FedEx airplane and at a local sheriff's helicopter. The helicopter was used to locate the men, Timothy J. Voigt (42), his son Eric Voigt (20) and Bradley J. Campbell (28), who all face multiple counts of felony reckless endangerment. Local officials said the crime "is being reviewed by the FAA and the FBI, with the possibility of additional federal charges." The helicopter pilot was quoted as saying that if you shine laser pointers at pilots, "there's a good chance you're going to wind up in jail. At the worst, you could bring down an aircraft and kill a lot of people."

US: 2 Columbus men charged with felonies

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-09-15T11:12:33-04:00

Two men were arrested and charged with felonies, accused of aiming a laser pointer at a commercial airplane as it approached Port Columbus (Ohio) International Airport on September 14. They also are accused of pointing the laser at a Columbus police helicopter. Dennis Smoke, 45, was arrested with Levi Milstead, 19. Each is charged with two counts of pointing a laser at an aircraft and one count each possession of criminal tools. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a $15,000 fine. More details from The Columbus Dispatch

UK: 180 hours of community service "for a laugh"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-28T10:40:24-04:00

A 21-year-old UK woman was sentenced to 6 months in jail for shining a laser pen “for a laugh” at a police helicopter in Staines, just outside London Heathrow Airport. However, Natasha Forster’s sentence was suspended and she was ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service instead. The judge also ordered the laser to be destroyed. A police inspector was quoted as saying “The sentence handed out sends a clear warning to anyone else considering such reckless behaviour. Endangering an aircraft is a criminal offence and it will not be tolerated.” From the Richmond-Twickenham Times and The Independent.

UK: Man tracked, arrested after helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-26T13:23:49-04:00

A 32-year-old man was arrested in Reading, about 50 miles west of London, for shining a green laser beam on a police helicopter. The officers on board used cameras to guide ground units to the suspect. The man was charged with endangering police officers. A police spokesperson was quoted as saying “Shining a laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous. The front windscreen has thousands of tiny scratches on its surface, which diffract the laser beam in every direction. Essentially, the laser beam lights up the whole of the windscreen in a bright glow, which can potentially blind the pilot." From BBC News

UK: 150 hours community service, avoids 8 months in jail

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-22T13:32:22-04:00

Peter Hind, 38, of Shirebrook in Nottinghamshire, UK, was sentenced to 150 hours of community service for aiming a green laser at a police helicopter. He would have received eight months in jail, except that he is the only caregiver for his 12-year-old son. The judge said “he made a stupid mistake but sending him to prison would punish his child more.” From the Mirror.

US: Felony arrest for shining laser at CHP helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-19T23:18:44-04:00

18-year-old Dustin Brown of Carmichael, California was arrested August 19 2009 for aiming a laser at a California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter. He was charged with a felony; the maximum penalty under state law is three years in jail; under federal law it is 20 years and a $250,000 fine. The story noted that “at least six other people have been busted for pointing lasers at aircraft in the Sacramento area over the past several months.” From CBS13 news in Sacramento, CA

New Zealand: Sentenced to 200 hours service for illuminating Wellington airplane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-18T21:38:15-04:00

Vladimir Maricic, 25, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for twice hitting a Mt Cook Airlines plane with a laser beam, as it flew near Wellington on March 4 2008. Maricic was aiming from a car park at the Mt Victoria lookout. He said he wanted to see how far the beam would reach, and that he did not intend any harm. He was charged under the Civil Aviation Act with causing unnecessary danger. The judge said Maricic’s actions were “extremely dangerous no matter how unintentional.” From the New Zealand Herald

Australia: Student faces possible life imprisonment

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-08-10T14:53:41-04:00

"The laser I used in the army and the laser I used now – there is a not a lot of similarities between them," Bozan told the court via an interpreter. ...Last week, he allegedly shone a hand-held pen laser at pedestrians, cars and a Qantas plane which was flying at 7000ft on approach to Adelaide Airport. John Mattner, for Bozan, told the court his client believed the laser was a toy and "did not believe the laser pointer would actually reach 7000 feet. ... A laser pointer was used but it was not done to intentionally harm or interfere with anyone," Mr Mattner said. ...UPDATE #1: At an August 19 2009 court hearing, Bozan told the court that when he was a soldier in Turkey, he was trained in the use of lasers on weapons. ...The judge noted Bozan’s Turkish Army experience with lasers and said, "You knew of their ability to travel long distances, aiming at specific targets. ... Your offending is serious and should be considered in the context of the potential large scale harm that you could have easily caused."

Scotland: £4000 (US $6500) fine for flashing laser at rescue helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-05-29T13:47:10-04:00

A 22-year-old was fined £4000 (US $6500, Euro 4500) for flashing a green laser beam at pilots in a rescue helicopter. On Nov. 1 2008, an RAF Sea King helicopter was carrying a teenager injured in a climbing accident. Rosen Romanov dazzled the pilots who were at an altitude of 1000 feet over homes in Caol, Fort William, in Scotland. The pilots felt that it was only their night-vision goggles, which reduced the glare, that saved them from a “tragic crash”. Romanov was found guilty of culpable and reckless conduct and was fined the record amount. ...Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere. UPDATE: In late August 2009, Romanov’s lawyers appealed, saying “the fine was maybe suitable for the offense, but not enough consideration has been given to his financial circumstances.”

Wales: 10 month jail sentence after laser hits plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-05-28T13:26:43-04:00

21-year-old Hossein Hosseiny was sentenced to 4 months in jail for endangering the safety of an aircraft by shining a laser into the cockpit of a landing airplane. In addition, he received another 6 months for supplying drugs that had been found by officers tracking down the laser pointer misuse. Hosseiny, originally from Afghanistan, was in the UK after seeking asylum in 2002. As a result of his laser assault and subsequent convictions, he was served with a deportation notice. In the March 2009 incident, the airplane pilot said he had a "momentary loss of concentration" due to a "dazzling green light" as the plane was landing at Cardiff (Wales) airport. The trial judge stated that "The consequences of such an action could have been catastrophic. Fortunately there was no catastrophe and the aircraft landed safety."

UK: Footage of Birmingham helicopter tracking suspect after being lasered

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-04-06T21:07:16-04:00

Now the 17-year-old has been warned he could be sent to custody for the act of complete stupidity, that could have brought the high-tech Eurocopter crashing to the ground. A Saltley teenager, who can't be named for legal reasons, admitted acting recklessly or negligently in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, in the city's youth court on Monday [April 6 2009]. “The helicopter containing a pilot and police observer were in action over Herrick Road, Alum Rock, at about 9 pm on Saturday March 7 [2009] when the incident happened. ... said during the court case that Captain Nicholas Clarkson became aware of what he described as an intense bright and green laser light directly shining into the cockpit. ...“In a statement Captain Clarkson said if he had been struck directly in the eyes by the laser beam it could have left him temporarily blinded which could have caused him to lose control of the helicopter and crash. ...“The incident was captured on a police camera, and the footage was shown to the magistrates as the teenager sat in court with his head bowed. ...“Acting sergeant Alan Meredith, with the force's operations aviation unit, said the risk to aircraft and the public of the pilot being temporarily blinded are obvious, and the West Midlands police would actively seek anyone who attempts to do so.”

US: Man indicted for interfering with Southwest flight

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-04-03T16:10:26-04:00

This incident also was reported in local news reports such as the Sacramento Bee and ABC News10. This made the FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the week ending April 3, 2009. From the FBI report: In response to a green laser incident on 03/16/09, on 04/02/09, BALLTAZAR O. VALLADARES was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in the Eastern District of California, Sacramento, on two counts of Title 18, USC Section 32 (a)(5) and 32(a)(8), Interference with the Safe Operation of an Aircraft. The indictment stated that on March 16, 2009, VALLADARES did willfully interfere with and attempt to interfere with and disable, with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, at least one person engaged in the authorized operation of Southwest Airlines Flight 1010, a Boeing 737 en-route from Las Vegas, Nevada to Sacramento, CA. The aircraft had one hundred and thirty seven passengers aboard, and which aircraft was in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, as defined under Title 49, USC, Section 46501 (2), and was a civil aircraft used, operated and employed in interstate commerce. The Grand Jury further charged that on the same date, VALLADARES did willfully interfere with and attempt to interfere with and disable, with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, at least one person engaged in the authorized operation of Sacramento Sheriff's Dept. Unit Star 5.

US: UPDATED - Man takes his own life before being sentenced for aiming laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-03-14T17:45:58-04:00

A Utah man died by suicide on September 17 2009, shortly before being sentenced for aiming a laser at a Utah National Guard helicopter. On February 19 2009, Joshua Don Park allegedly pointed a green laser beam two times at the Apache helicopter as it was flying over the Bluffdale area, about 20 miles south of Salt Lake City. ...According to the Sheriff’s Office, Park “believed that the helicopter was way too far away for it to make an impact or even see [sic]” ...UPDATED - August 31 2017: A National Guard pilot told the South Valley Journal that Park committed suicide shortly before he could be sentenced. Park died September 17 2009, according to a September 20 obituary in the Deseret News which included this photo: The South Valley Journal article implied that Park’s suicide was linked to the laser incident, and that it changed how the National Guard reacted to laser incidents. The article stated “Since that sobering incident, no Utah National Guard pilots have reported lasing incidents to the FBI—but not for lack of occurrences.”

Canada: Five "hits" on Toronto approach

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-03-04T00:25:51-05:00

An Air Canada Airbus 320, was hit by five laser flashes as it approached Toronto Pearson International Airport. "Zero Five Zero, this is Air Canada Seven Five Four -- We've just taken two green laser hits," the pilot said, according to a recording made of an exchange between the aircraft and air traffic controllers. CTV Toronto reported that "[t]his is estimated to be the sixth such incident in Toronto in the past year. About a dozen have occurred in Ontario, and more than 30 across Canada." More details from CTV.ca

US: 12 planes report a laser in Seattle. UPDATE: Arrest made

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-02-24T12:39:11-05:00

Pilots on 12 jetliners landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday, Feb. 22 2009, reported that someone was shining a green laser light into their cockpits. ...But the incident led to pilots simultaneously trying to avoid being temporarily blinded by the light while trying to help authorities pinpoint its source, believed to be about a mile north of the airport. Air traffic controllers continuously cautioned pilots about the light during the episode, which lasted from 7:10 to 7:30 p.m. ...Officials note that it is a federal crime to point a laser light at an aircraft, and pilots are required to report encounters with laser lights. ...A CNN video of the news story “Lasers aimed at planes”, reported by Jeanne Meserve, is also available from CNN’s website. ...According to the Seattle Times, Saunders told police he was “pointing the light in multiple directions outside a party and may have layered a plane.” ...The story also noted that a laser was aimed at an Alaska Airlines flight landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

US: 3 year sentence in laser case

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-01-24T23:35:25-05:00

A Cleveland-area man who shined a green laser into the cockpits of airplanes and a helicopter last June will spend three years in prison after pleading guilty to those crimes and separate drug-dealing charges. Justin Dewalt, 26, pleaded guilty to several felonies and was sentenced Friday, officials said. ...Dewalt bought a high-power laser off the Internet and brought it to a party June 4 2008. That night, flight crews of two planes about to land at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport reported that someone hit their cockpits with a laser. ...About an hour later, a laser hit the cockpit of a MetroHealth Medical Center helicopter flying a patient to the hospital from Elyria. The helicopter pilot told Cleveland police the area where the laser came from and when a pilot for the police helicopter flew over to investigate, he, too, was hit in the eye by a laser that was coming from a moving car. Cleveland police stopped the car a short time later and found Dewalt in the back seat with a laser.

UK: 4 months jail; pilot turned controls over to co-pilot

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2009-01-05T12:18:22-05:00

A 19-year-old man who shone a laser pen into an aircraft, temporarily blinding the pilot, has been sent to a young offenders' institution for four months. Ben Philip Vout targeted a KLM flight coming in to land with 40 passengers at Durham Tees Valley Airport in northeast England, in August 2008. He also shone the device at a police helicopter sent to investigate. Vout, 19, and from Heslop Street in Thornaby had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of endangering the safety of an aircraft. Teesside Crown Court was told that the KLM flight had to be landed by the co-pilot. From BBC News

Romania: Video of helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-12-06T22:27:46-05:00

A YouTube video taken from a helicopter in Bucharest includes a brief laser illumination. The frame grab below shows the view as the laser reaches maximum brightness. Below is the YouTube video (click the play triangle to start the video). ... The incident happens from about 5:00 to 5:04 in the video. The illuminations are don’t appear to be as bright or disruptive as those in the UK helicopter footage here. However, no matter how low-powered the laser or how brief the illumination, lasers should NEVER be aimed at helicopters, aircraft or other vehicles. ...Thanks to Andy Faulkner of Laser Shows S.R.L. in Bucharest for bringing this to our attention, and to Peter Broerse of DMXLASER in the Netherlands for the frame grab.

French Polynesia: 15 days in jail for pointing laser at plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-11-09T23:07:45-05:00

A court in French Polynesia has sentenced a man to 15 days in jail for pointing a laser at an aircraft. The incident happened last month [September 2008] when the man pointed the laser at an Air Tahiti plane. Police, who were alerted by the pilot after he was blinded, say the man was unaware of the risks his action posed. There is no regulation in French Polynesia on the sale of lasers which can be beamed up to 17 kilometers. From Radio New Zealand International

UK: Video of helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-11-08T11:47:29-05:00

Here is a frame grab from the video, showing the laser when it is on the cockpit: ... ...The light itself is distracting, plus they are concentrating on this incident (trying to find the perpetrator). They are taking time away from “normal” police work to have to deal with this situation. • If the police had been able to find the perpetrator, he or she would have been arrested. ... (Search this page for the categories Arrests and Fines and jail to see that this is a real possibility.) As stated elsewhere in this website, levels of laser light which may seem reasonable to laser enthusiasts cause problems for pilots.

Canada: More incidents; man fined $1000

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-10-21T17:25:53-04:00

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US: Two years jail for a 3.3 mW laser

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-10-17T12:02:58-04:00

A California man was sentenced earlier this week to two years in jail, for shining a 3.3 milliwatt laser at an aircraft. This was reported by a member of the SAE G-10T subcommittee who testified at the man’s sentencing. At this time, we do not have any additional information. Reported by Patrick Murphy, an ILDA representative to the SAE G-10T subcommittee

NZ: Man faces 14 years in prison for helicopter incident

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-09-28T00:11:39-04:00

Gayley says when laser beams hit the cockpit they are "as wide as his arm is long", and initially blind the pilot, then cause burning irritation in the eyes for hours afterwards. ...On August 23, Eagle tracked one alleged laser-pointer, Ricky Laurence Nikora, through Auckland's eastern suburbs, leading to his arrest in a Burger King in Mission Bay. The 25-year-old labourer from Otahuhu was charged with interfering with a transport facility with reckless disregard - which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years - and has entered no plea. ...The Australian law change was triggered this year by a spate of attacks on at least six passenger jets coming into Sydney airport, where about four lasers simultaneously "painted" cockpits, delaying landings and forcing flight path changes. ...Strong lasers - such as the green one allegedly used by Nikora - can be 35 times stronger than red laser pens and shine for 5km. Here there are only voluntary restrictions on the sale of these lasers but the government announced in June that it would consider a more stringent ban. ...One other person has been convicted after attacking Eagle with a laser - Gayley says he "got off quite lightly" and was convicted only of criminal nuisance, which carries a one-year sentence.

US: Man arrested for flashing patrol plane

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-09-16T13:22:57-04:00

"It's not very bright, it runs on AAA batteries,” said Rhodes. ..."I was just spinning around and all of a sudden, boom. ...A half-hour later, the 31-year-old knew he had messed up when deputies came up to his driveway yelling at him. The laser was confiscated and Rhodes could face felony charges for tracking a plane with a laser. "I didn't mean to hit the plane, but if there are going to be consequences, I hope other people will learn from the experience,” said Rhodes. Since 2004, the FAA has documented 900 cases of lasers aimed at aircraft. Within the last month, two other state patrol planes were hit with powerful flashlights or spotlights.

US: Sheriffs raid home to seach for laser pointers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-08-12T14:15:34-04:00

"They held me outside like I was a criminal, guns pointing at me," said Kathleen Kiefer, who worked as a federal airport security screener at PBIA for three years until she went out on disability last year. ...The Sheriff's Office said there have been several laser incidents this year, including one in July that they think came from the same house. Kamstra said that after he and Fell were lasered last Tuesday, they circled the area and shined the spotlight on the house but the laser didn't stop. ...Sheriff's Detective Eric Reid said Kiefer later told deputies that "The helicopter was blinding him, so he wanted to blind the helicopter back." Kiefer, a business student at Palm Beach Community College and an avid gun collector, said he played with the green laser but denied he intentionally shined it in the cockpit. "If a cop would have said, 'Hey, you shined a light at a bird, do you know that's a federal offense? Do it again and you will go to prison,' I would have thrown mine away," he said.

Australia: "Laser fool" sentenced, fined for illuminating police helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-07-23T00:05:40-04:00

The 20-year-old Babet had earlier plead guilty to shining the 532nm wavelength green laser light into the cabin of the NSW police Air Wing "Squirrel" Helicopter on June 18 this year [2008]. "It creates a danger for all concerned including those in the aircraft and those on the ground," Mr Brennan said yesterday. ..."I think this does call for a jail sentence - I think anything less would be inappropriate," Mr Brennan said. He sentenced Babet to six months jail - but ordered that he be released straight away on a $1000 surety provided that he be of good behaviour for 12 months and pay a $1500 pecuniary penalty order. ...He told police he had known the dangers of shining the laser into the cabin of the helicopter but that he hadn't intended to endanger the aircraft or its crew. ...The laser had been shone into the cabin and into the eyes of the crew when the helicopter was flying 1600 feet above homes in Bella Vista. It had distracted the pilot and each of the three crew on board said it had caused them to temporarily be unable to perform normal flight duties, the court heard.

Canada: Calgary man fined $1000

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-07-07T16:03:53-04:00

A Calgary man charged with endangering a flight by shining a laser beam into the cockpit of an Air Canada flight has been fined $1,000. David Mackow, 29, who pleaded guilty to the federal charge, was sentenced on Monday and ordered to pay the fine within 30 days or face jail time. He also has to forfeit his laser pointer. In October 2007, Mackow shone the pointer, commonly used in boardroom presentations, from his Beltline apartment at the flight that was landing in Calgary. The pilot reported the incident and Calgary police dispatched its HAWCS helicopter to investigate. Mackow then pointed the green beam into the helicopter. More details are available from CBC News

UK: 4 months jail for "endangering aircraft"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-06-26T13:35:40-04:00

The court heard that Bottomley bought the £30 pen on the internet and pointed it at the aircraft to see how far it reached. ...The court heard that the helicopter was flying over Heaton Norris in Stockport on 16 April when it was targeted by a bright green laser. The light, which was being shone from the back bedroom window of a semi-detached house below, lit up the whole cockpit, leaving the pilot unable to see properly. Bottomley "zapped" the aircraft up to 10 times with the laser, which had a range of up to five miles, the court heard. After the pilot called for back-up, officers were directed to the house on Larwood Avenue and Bottomley admitted he was responsible. Captain Westwood said the helicopter had earlier been zapped by another laser pen a few miles away and aircraft were increasingly being targeted by people with the devices. ...People might think that this is some sort of amusing prank, but I can assure you that it could have had deadly consequences."

French Polynesia: Pilot "blinded" on approach

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-04-13T17:40:04-04:00

Police in French Polynesia are trying to locate the individual who trained a laser at the pilot of an Air Tahiti Nui airliner landing in Papeete after a flight from Los Angeles. The pilot has told a Tahiti newspaper that he was blinded as the plane with its 290 passengers on board was at an altitude of 3,000 feet and he was about to finalise the approach to the airport. The pilot has lodged a formal complaint and police say they have established that the laser was directed from the port area. A similar incident occurred last year [2007] when young people pointed lasers at a plane from near the runway. From Radio New Zealand International

Australia: Three years jail for aiming laser at helicopter

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-04-08T23:32:30-04:00

In June 2007, he shone a laser at a police helicopter as it flew at low level in the Port Adelaide area. The pilot was temporarily blinded by the incident. Baldetti later blamed the pilot for shining the helicopter spotlight at him first. Last week the New South Wales premier, Morris Iemma, said anyone who shone laser pointers at planes was potentially committing mass murder. From Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australia: Six planes targeted in alleged "coordinated cluster attack"

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2008-03-29T11:37:09-04:00

Six planes had to alter their flight paths into Sydney airport after pilots were targeted in an unprecedented laser "cluster attack”, authorities say. ...Air traffic controllers had to close one flight approach late on Friday, after up to four people targeted planes with lasers in an apparently co-ordinated attack. ..."It was described by the pilots as a cluster attack which implies some sort of co-ordination or organisation." ...*2011 UPDATE: Investigation by US and Australian officials revealed that the "cluster attack" was caused by youths, riding their bicycles on a golf course at night, who stopped and took the occasion to illuminate landing aircraft. It might be noted that their local community had a history of acrimony directed at the airport authority due to the construction of a new runway which caused more flights over their residential area. In a Feb. 2011 presentation to the SAE G10T group, attended by LaserPointerSafety.com, FAA flight standards liaison Patrick Hempen said the truth about Sydney has not caught up with the news stories. ... Hempen also investigated several laser events in the Mideast and found many of the so-called "deliberate attacks" to be similar; they were “events perpetrated by youths, in a party-like atmosphere, without care or knowledge of the havoc that they were causing.”

US: Man faces 25 years in prison and fines up to $500,000

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2005-01-04T13:55:14-05:00

"One would think they would want to devote their time and resources to prosecuting real terrorists, not people like my client," Gina Mendola-Longarzo told the Associated Press. She said her client was playing with his young daughter, using the laser's narrow green beam to point at stars and illuminating trees and neighbor's houses. FBI agents and police swarmed Banach's Parsnippany, N.J., home Friday night after a green laser was pointed at a police helicopter overhead. The helicopter was carrying a charter jet pilot who was attempting to locate the source of a green laser beam that hit his flight on Dec. 29 as it prepared to land at nearby Teterboro Airport. After being taken to an FBI office and given a lie-detector test, Banach said he had hit the jet with the beam, court documents say. ... After the agent switched it on, Banach warned him "not to shine the laser in his eyes because it could blind him," the court documents say. ...Under a plea bargain, Banach pleaded guilty to shining a laser beam at an airplane (another source says the charge was interfering with the operator of a mass transit vehicle).

South Korea: US helicopters flying near Demilitarized Zone illuminated by lasers

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 2003-05-15T21:12:23-04:00

Two U.S. Apache helicopters on a training mission near the Korean Demilitarized Zone were illuminated by laser weapons in March 2003. Laser detectors on the helicopters were activated; there was no effect on either the pilots or the aircraft. An Army spokesperson said it is unknown if North Korean forces were responsible, but “we know that the North Korean military employs both laser range-finding equipment and laser-designating equipment throughout its force.” Sources quoted by the Washington Times said the laser was aimed by North Korean forces, and was possibly a Chinese-made Norinco ZM-87 anti-personnel laser. ... It could blind up to three miles away, or cause temporary blindness as far as six miles away. ...Due to concern over the ZM-87, later in 1995 the Protocol on Blinding Weapons amended the 1980 Geneva Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, in order to ban laser weapons designed to permanently blind persons. The Times sources also said the Apache crews were not wearing laser-eye protection when the incident occurred, but since then, crews patrolling the DMZ are required to wear it as a safeguard.

Bosnia: US helicopters hit four times by lasers; caused eye injuries

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 1998-11-05T21:36:15-05:00

Intro: The pilot and a crewman on an American helicopter were hurt recently (October 24 1998) when someone fired a laser at their aircraft patrolling over Bosnia-Herzegovina. ... U.S. military officials and police in Bosnia are investigating the incidents, and the U.S. Army says it is now changing the way it uses its helicopters. ...Nevertheless, Pentagon officials say the Army is changing the way It uses helicopters over Bosnia to lessen the danger to pilots -- but will give few details. Pentagon spokesman Mike Doubleday did say pilots now have some protection from the laser threat: "What we've done to deal with the situation is to provide helicopter crews with either special glasses or goggles that protect their eyes in these situations." ...Mr. Pike said, "It was a lot easier for them to injure those soldiers using a laser than it was to kill them by hitting them with a bullet. And the thing is that an injured soldier is a lot more of a burden to a military than a dead soldier is, because every injured soldier requires several more to get him back to the hospital." ...Mr. Pike says recent treaties [the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons, a 1995 amendment to the 1980 Geneva Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons] labeled weapons specifically designed to blind soldiers as "inhumane" and banned their use.

US: DOD confirms eye injury to copter passenger; perhaps from Russian vessel Kapitan Man?

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 1997-06-26T17:59:28-04:00

The results of the investigation indicate that the eye injuries to the American officer are consistent with injuries that would be expected from exposure to a low level laser, such as a laser range-finder for example, but that there is no evidence to indicate the source of the laser. ...The injuries apparently were sustained while the lieutenant was aboard a Canadian military helicopter on routine maritime patrol over the Strait of Juan de Fuca north of Puget Sound near Seattle, Wash., conducting surveillance of merchant vessels, including the Russian merchant vessel Kapitan Man, in U.S. territorial waters. ...The search took about two hours and yielded no safety problems, resulted in no laser equipment being found, and discovered no sign of any recent modifications to the ship that might have indicated, for example, the removal of a laser from the area below the port bridge where the red light had been imaged. ...DoD tests were able to identify a candidate laser that could have created the type and pattern of retinal injury suffered by the lieutenant, but a photograph of this laser did not produce an image similar to that seen in the photograph of the Kapitan Man. ...He also diagnosed a laser exposure in one of the photographer's companions present at the incident who reported similar symptoms but had completely normal findings on retinal examination and fluorescein angiograms. ...A costly, time-consuming chain of events was precipitated by the initial retina specialist's (1) failure to attach significance to an association between the photographer's symptoms and his complex past medical history, (2) quick diagnosis of a laser injury, (3) subsequent attribution of the photographer's growing list of pains and visual complaints to a laser injury, and (4) diagnosis of laser exposure in the photographer's associate based on symptoms in the absence of retinal or angiographic abnormalities. ...[These questions ask whether the findings are consistent with a laser injury, is there any scientific evidence that the ocular findings could cause the reported complaints, and is the location of visual defects consistent with the retinal abnormalities supposedly responsible for causing them?]

US: Military says Soviet ship aimed laser at US aircraft; injuring pilot's eyes

mail@laserpointersafety.com — 1987-10-04T12:14:00-04:00

A Soviet naval vessel used to monitor Soviet missile tests “apparently” aimed a laser beam at two U.S. aircraft, causing temporary blindness to a pilot. ...According to an October 2 1987 Pentagon statement, a U.S. Navy P-3 reconnaissance aircraft was “illuminated by an intense light” from the Soviet ship Chukotka. ...The statement said the light “disturbed” the vision of the co-pilot, and “although preliminary medical evaluation has shown no apparent damage, further detailed tests may be required to determine if, in fact, no damage to her eyes occurred.” ...He said “In my opinion, anything that disturbs your vision for 10 minutes damages your vision. ...The Pentagon statement did not speculate on the reason for the illumination of the aircraft. The New York Times referenced one official who said the Soviet ship might have tried to harass or blind the pilots, while a naval consultant said it could be that the laser was used to track missiles and was inadvertently shined at the U.S. aircraft. ...The 1987 edition of a Pentagon publication, Soviet Military Power, said that "recent Soviet irradiation of Free World manned surveillance aircraft and ships could have caused serious eye damage to observers."