Man Arrested After Pointing Laser At Sheriff's Helicopter
- 10 years ago
A 19-year-old man in Florida was recently arrested for pointing a laser light at a helicopter. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office has since released footage from the incident that shows how blinding the laser was to the pilot.
"It is no joke. Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a felony. Now a teen has learned that lesson the hard way." [WKMG]
A 19-year-old man in Florida was recently arrested for pointing a laser light at an aircraft. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office has since released images from the incident that shows how blinding the laser was to the pilot.
The flashing green light radiated throughout the cockpit, making it nearly impossible for the helicopter pilot to see. The sheriff’s chopper had been patrolling at about 800 feet in the air in Longwood.
Deputies were able to zero in on the source of the beam. They found the location and saw a man near a pool. The suspect seemed to sense the chopper picked up on him because he started running along the side of a residence.
Cops soon arrested the man suspected of pointing the laser, identified as Trevor Ragno. He has since posted bond and was released from jail.
Both the FBI and FAA have been notified of the incident. Federal charges could be filed against Ragno for pointing the laser at the helicopter.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released a statement noting “Shining a light into an aircraft creates a glare on the windscreen and generates a temporary flash of blindness, similar to a camera flash. It is highly dangerous for pilots and flight crew who can experience blurred vision or become disoriented.”
"It is no joke. Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a felony. Now a teen has learned that lesson the hard way." [WKMG]
A 19-year-old man in Florida was recently arrested for pointing a laser light at an aircraft. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office has since released images from the incident that shows how blinding the laser was to the pilot.
The flashing green light radiated throughout the cockpit, making it nearly impossible for the helicopter pilot to see. The sheriff’s chopper had been patrolling at about 800 feet in the air in Longwood.
Deputies were able to zero in on the source of the beam. They found the location and saw a man near a pool. The suspect seemed to sense the chopper picked up on him because he started running along the side of a residence.
Cops soon arrested the man suspected of pointing the laser, identified as Trevor Ragno. He has since posted bond and was released from jail.
Both the FBI and FAA have been notified of the incident. Federal charges could be filed against Ragno for pointing the laser at the helicopter.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released a statement noting “Shining a light into an aircraft creates a glare on the windscreen and generates a temporary flash of blindness, similar to a camera flash. It is highly dangerous for pilots and flight crew who can experience blurred vision or become disoriented.”