Kid caught pointing laser at police helicopter
Posted February 18, 2011 11:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Authorities say a 10-year-old kid put several people at risk by pointing a laser at a police helicopter in Richmond Hill earlier this week.
Air 2 was flying over the area between Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street around 10:30pm Wednesday after getting a call from officers on the ground who were investigating a weapons call.
A bright green laser was pointed at the helicopter, forcing the pilot to take immediate action to ensure safety for the crew and those on the ground.
Looking at a laser for even a split second can cause flash blindness, where the flash of light takes a few seconds to fade from vision, temporarily affecting eyesight. It’s similar to the effect produced by staring at a camera flash.
The helicopter crew managed to pinpoint the source of the laser to a home on Pathlane Road where they seized a laser pointer device from a 10-year-old, York Regional Police said.
“There is a great potential for harm to the pilot and the prospect of a crash,” York Regional Police said in a statement. “Those who are aiming these pointers at our aircraft are putting lives in danger, not only in the aircraft but on the ground.”
An Ajax teenager was charged after a similar incident last April.
Durham Regional Police said the teen aimed a laser pointer at the Air 1 helicopter as it was tracking a suspected drunk driver.
The misuse of these devices can lead to very serious charges that fall under the Aeronautics Act as well as the Criminal Code.
