CHP helicopter target of strong green laser in Northern California

(FOX40.COM) — A person was arrested in Citrus Heights after pointing a strong laser at a California Highway Patrol helicopter on Sunday night, according to the CHP Valley Division Air Operations.

Officers with the Citrus Heights Police Department made contact with the suspect sat inside a parked car and arrested them.

“We remind the community that striking an aircraft with a laser is extremely dangerous as it can temporarily blind or disorient pilots, potentially leading to loss of control during critical flight phases,” the CHP wrote in a news release.

The person was booked and is facing felony charges as pointing lasers at aircraft is an illegal act and “punishable by severe penalties due to the significant risks it poses to aviation safety,” the CHP says.

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