Ohio Man to Serve 3 Years in Prison for Pointing Laser at Planes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
A northeast Ohio man who shined a green laser into the cockpits of a police helicopter and several other aircraft has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Cuyahoga County prosecutors say 26-year-old Justin Dewalt pleaded guilty to several felonies, as well as separate drug dealing charges, and was sentenced Friday.
Prosecutors say Dewalt bought a high-powered laser off the Internet and brought it to a party in Cleveland on June 4.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Lasers can temporarily blind pilots, and flight crews of two planes about to land at Cleveland Hopkins Airport reported that their cockpits were being hit by a laser.
Later that night, lasers hit the cockpit of a medical helicopter flying a patient to a hospital, as well as the police helicopter.