A Florida man was apprehended after he allegedly disrupted an in-flight Sheriff’s Office helicopter pilot’s vision when he reportedly pointed an AR-15 with a laser at the aircraft.
On January 18, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was using one of their helicopters to assist with a reported burglary in the area.
The helicopter had already ascended when the pilot noticed a light that appeared to be from a laser shining into the cabin of the aircraft, and his visibility was affected by the pointed beam.
The pilot circled back to the area where the light appeared to come from, and while using a piece of equipment with infrared capability he believed he saw someone pointing a laser attached to an AR-15 at the helicopter.
The deputies on the aircraft notified the Port St. Lucie police about the situation and they scouted out the reported location in an effort to find the alleged offender.
When they located the suspect they believed was responsible for the incident officers identified the man as 55-year-old Norman Flaxman.
The officers reportedly discovered an AR-15 with a laser affixed on it close to where Flaxman was standing, and they began to question the man about what had transpired.
Flaxman reportedly explained that he was trying to test out the laser when he pointed it at the chopper, and he allegedly admitted that he was aware that it was not okay to perform the act of which he was accused.
The officers took Flaxman into custody and he was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail for suspicion of misuse of a laser lighting device. He was held until later that day on a $2500 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.