Santa Ana man facing Federal charges of pointing a laser pointer at a police helicopter

It is hard to believe that a 35-year-old man would be inclined to aim a laser pointer at a police helicopter, but FBI agents arrested a man that age, Mario DeLeon Lopez, today and he was expected to be charged at a U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, with doing exactly that, according to the O.C. Register.

Lopez allegedly aimed his laser pointer at a police helicopter being operated by tactical flight deputies of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, on Nov. 14, 2015.  The pilot of the helicopter reported being struck several times with a green laser that was bright enough to illuminate the cockpit.

The source of the laser was tracked to a suspect in the backyard of a Santa Ana residence by both Sheriff’s Deputies and members of the SAPD. Those officers arrested Lopez. He posted bail and was released while the Federal investigation continued.

Lopez posted bail and was released from local custody while the federal investigation continued and culminated with the filing of the indictment.

The Feds take this charge seriously as pointing a laser pointer at a pilot can blind him and cause him to lose control of his aircraft – posing a threat to the pilot and his passengers as well as innocent people on the ground who might be hurt due to an aircraft’s crash