DETROIT (AP) — Federal and state officials are warning of serious consequences for pointing laser devices at helicopters and airplanes, a continuing problem in southeastern Michigan.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider says a beam from a hand-held laser can travel more than a mile and illuminate a cockpit, disorienting pilots and even damaging their sight.
Officials say some of the assaults are also coming from high-powered, industrial-quality lasers with potential to cause physical harm. Some Michigan state police pilots have suffered temporary blindness, spotty vision, burns and massive headaches.
As of September, 41 laser strikes at aircraft had been reported in Michigan.
Targeting aircraft with lasers is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Tips about illegal laser pointing can be reported to the FBI at 313-965-2323.
- Posted November 26, 2018
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Officials warn against targeting aircraft with lasers
headlines Oakland County
- Reading reenactment
- Supreme Court overturns precedent on how to determine a child's domicile when parents are divorced
- Nessel reissues government imposter scams consumer alert following reports
- Formal Opinion 524: Government lawyers’ obligations when knowing of a public official’s intended or ongoing violation of law
- Whitmer signs bipartisan bills to address the opioid crisis, support public health
headlines National
- How to use AI but steer clear of hallucinated cases
- Lawyers for low-income clients strike in NYC
- Top prosecutor for International Criminal Court accused of sexual misconduct
- Big Tech companies facing new wave of lawsuits over copyright and AI
- Lawyer says he was ‘manic’ when he bought Cape Cod mansion in danger of falling into ocean
- Judge regrets ‘entitled little snot’ comment but still fit for the bench, lawyer says
