The US attorney’s office and the FBI this week charged a California couple with shining a laser into the cockpit of a sheriff’s department helicopter, a federal criminal complaint that could land them in jail for up to 20 years and earn them a $250,000 fine.
The federal criminal complaint was filed on December 13, against Jared Dooley and Kendra Snow. The complaint states that on November 8, 2007, at about 10:55 p.m., a green laser beam illuminated the cockpit of a Kern County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, which was flying at 500 feet during routine patrol in Bakersfield, California. When the light hit the cockpit, it disoriented the Kern County Sheriff’s pilot, causing pain and discomfort in his eyes for a couple of hours, the FBI said in a statement.
Despite the vision problems, the pilot and a tactical observer in the helicopter were able to pinpoint the origin of the laser beam at Dooley’ house. On November 27, FBI and local police executed a federal search warrant, locating a hand-held green laser device in Dooley’s pickup truck and a red laser device in his home. Both Dooley and Snow later admitted they had used the green laser device on the night of the incident, the FBI stated. Snow told investigating agents that she and Dooley were standing in the driveway on November 8 and “taking turns shining the laser around watching the tracers in the sky.”
Lasers pose a safety hazard to flight operations, the FBI said and between 1990 and 2005 there were over 400 of them. The focused beams of a laser light remain powerful at extended viewing distances and can expose pilots to radiation levels above those considered to be flight safe. Brief exposure to even a relatively low-powered laser beam can cause discomfort and temporary visual impairments, such as glare, flash blind, and afterimages.
The FBI noted that it is illegal to target aircraft and represents a danger to flight crews and, potentially, the public from an accident that could occur if a flight crew is impaired in its ability to safely operate its aircraft. Many lasers are over 10 times more powerful than the typical red laser pointers used in the classroom or workplace and can cause significant damage to the eyes.
And there has been a rash of incidents recently.
· A 13-year-old boy was arrested in November on suspicion of reckless endangerment after he allegedly pointed a green laser at a Phoenix Police Department helicopter, police said.
· Three police forces and the US Coast Guard on this month chased down a Boston-area man who faces the possibility of federal charges after allegedly pointing a hand-held laser beam at a helicopter.
· Last week a UK man was arrested after he almost caused a police helicopter to crash when he shone a laser into the pilot's eyes. The laser disabled the crew’s night-vision lights.
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Garbage
What a bunch of horse $h!t. "...pain and discomfort...", "...despite the vision problems..."
Oh my god! We have created an entire army of self-righteous power hungry police and security bubbas. When will this alarmist crap end?
huyh
I agree. Stop flying your loud whirly birds over our houses all night. Besides, it doesn't sound like the couple was targeting aircraft since they said they were just shining it into the night sky to watch tracers. Also, why are these lasers sold to anyone, much less children (like the 13 year old)?
Surveillance Copters Causing Desperate CiviliansOver Chem Spray
First off, I'd suspect that many people are becoming extremely frustrated at their powerlessness to do anything about all the toxic chemicals being sprayed on us throughout the USA. These chemicals, often referred to as "chemtrails", have caused tens of 1000's of people to become very ill with many diseases. Especially a disease called Morgellons, which is contracted by the aerosols sprayed on the public. Those of us who have tried to bring attention to this very important subject soon find themselves harrassed, hacked, threatened, and in many cases, terrorized and stalked. When I first began researching this subject in 2005, I posted as much information I could online, and soon found myself hacked by various govt alphabet agencies like the DOE, af.mil, fbi.gov, pnl.gov, and a host of university IP's that link to labs dealing with biological weapons research. Make no mistake, the public in areas that show high areas of political activism are being targetted. Individuals are singled out and harrassed. And one of the common forms of harrassment are helicopter surveillance. When I first began getting threats and hacked, I soon found myself being buzzed constantly by unmarked dark green and black helicopters over my home. Not counting the planes that were spraying tons of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and various other pathogens overhead, it all became extremly frustating and scary. I'd imagine a few of these people are making bad decisions with the laser pointers. But maybe it is meant to let these pilots who are breaking laws themselves by harrassing people who are only trying to enlighten people, maybe this is to just let these guys know that they are aware of what they're doing. I myself have never done this. I have taken many photos of this overhead harrassment though.
Oddly enough, when i became sick with Morgellons, CFS, Eptsein Barr, and a host of other illnesses, I stopped posting online about these subjects after a few months. within a few weeks, the harassment stopped.
I'd suggest people start paying closer attention to what is going on in the skies above us. We are being poisoned. My own neighbor died after months of suffering the same symptoms i encurred after months of daily spraying. (Oct. 2005-May 2006)
With "Global Warming" being named as the most important subject by hordes of politicians, scientists, worhtless Rockefellor paid off environmental groups, and large medical and pharma groups and lobbies, along with a host of govt. agencies, all trying to keep this subject closed and quiet. It is a travesty that Al Gore won the Pulitzer without so much of a mention of the biologicals sprayed on us and poisoning us, the military owned HAARP Project which shoots billions of GHZ of microwave heat into the troposhere and ionosphere which is causing the global warming in the first place, along with the weather controlling science going on that has the ability to weaken hurricanes, that these technologies are not used to weaken hurricanes and improve the environment an atmosphere. Instead we have 100's of animals and fish dying off. Bees, birds, coral reefs, all forms of reptiles and insects, even our crops. Is there any wonder that food prices are skyrocketing?
Just keep in mind that any Global Warming advocate who doesn't mention this technology that has been being used for at least 10 years now, it's all fake. When you take the time to investigate the hidden hands backing Gore and others, you will soon find in their documents and writings that they are purposefully causing weather warfare and biological warfare on an unsuspecting public. I pray that a few of you will at least take a look at a few links such as bariumblues.net, carnicom.com, and a great site that consolidates a whole lot of info combined from many sites called STRANGE DAYS STRANGE SKIES.
The link is http://imageevent.com/firesat/strangedaysstrangeskies
Idiots like this are a plague.
Lasers don't belong in the hands of folks who are foolish enough to be so irresponsible with them.
They are forcing the authorities to outlaw them and I for one don't appreciate irresponsible folks wrecking it for those of us who are carful with them, follow safety precautions.
I do think that fine is a bit over-the-top.
I also wonder if they had any clue there was a helicopter there, but it just goes to show, better know where that is shining.
Legislation is not the Answer
I agree that lasers don't belong in the hands of idiots like these, but making them illegal is not the answer: prosecuting the wrong-doers is.
High powered lasers bright
High powered lasers bright enough for their beams to be visible have the potential to damage eyes.
Lasers
www.defensetech.org/archives/2004_09.html
A pilot flying a Delta Air Lines jet was injured by a laser that illuminated the cockpit of the aircraft as it approached Salt Lake City International Airport last week," according to the Washington Times.
The plane's two pilots reported that the Boeing 737 had been five miles from the airport when they saw a laser beam inside the cockpit, said officials familiar with government reports of the Sept. 22 incident. The flight, which originated in Dallas, landed without further incident at about 9:30 p.m. local time.
A short while later, however, the first officer felt a stinging sensation in one eye. A doctor who examined the pilot determined that he had suffered a burned retina from exposure to a laser device, the officials said.
Military personnel also have suffered eye damage from laser illumination. In one case, Naval Lt. Cmdr. Jack Daly and Canadian helicopter pilot Capt. Pat Barnes suffered eye injuries hours after an aerial surveillance mission to photograph a Russian merchant ship that had been shadowing the ballistic-missile submarine USS Ohio in Washington state's Strait of Juan de Fuca.
LMAO buy some damn green
LMAO buy some damn green laser protection goggles, or incorporate the technology into your helm. Id10t’s!
So if I’m being followed by a helicopter I know how to stop them now... Just go buy a 15mw laser and shine away!
Iran is currently purchasing
Iran is currently purchasing over 1 million laser pointers to integrate into their air defense system
bunch of pussy pilots
if a pilot is that much of a pussy and feelz like a laser is gonna make him crash then i dont want him flying over my head... if thats the case the sun might blind him and he might crash... bottom line is the police are a bunch of whinning pussys who cry and bitch over everything...there are no REAL men on police forces. they should be pissed on.