Posted on 08/31/2014 2:31:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
An 18-year-old Oakland man is due to be arraigned in federal court on Sept. 5 on a charge of shining a laser pointer at an airborne California Highway Patrol helicopter in June.
Christian Palomino was indicted by a U.S. grand jury Thursday on one count of violating a federal law that makes it a crime to knowingly aim a laser at an aircraft.
The indictment replaces an Aug. 11 criminal complaint containing the same charge. The grand jury action makes it unnecessary to hold a preliminary hearing on the charge.
Palomino, who is free on a $10,000 bond, will be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Donna Ryu in Oakland at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 5.
The complaint alleges that while a CHP helicopter was responding to an incident near the intersection of Bancroft and Seminary avenues in Oakland at 11:10 p.m. on June 7, the helicopter's flight officer noticed two bright green flashes coming from the ground below.
The flight officer used the helicopter camera to identify two suspects as the possible source and enlisted CHP officers in a patrol car to pursue them. The officers allegedly found a green laser pen in Palomino's pocket, according to the complaint.
Knowingly pointing a laser at an aircraft was made into a specific federal crime in 2012 in response to a growing number of such incidents, in which pilots can be distracted or temporarily blinded. The crime carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison upon conviction. Palomino's bond carries a condition of a 6 p.m. curfew. He was released into the custody of his mother in Oakland.
“Someone please explain to me how a pen laser is supposed to bring down a helicopter, not to mention a high-flying jet plane.”
Green lasers can go for miles. The anti-laser shining law was put into place after hundreds of idiots were shining them at aircraft and sometimes would hit a pilot in eye with one. See how you’d like it if someone shined one of those powerful puppies in your eyes while you were driving a car at high speeds.
You would? Hmmmm, my GUESS is that it was "something to do," nothing more. And I bet his father isn't around either.
And you think it would be a good idea to shine a laser into a cockpit?
It will not cause physical damage itself, but it could cause a crash in the right circumstances.
A man? What's up with that? I thought they were teens. Or do they need to kill, maim or strong-arm someone to be considered a teen?
“But I doubt this kid is either. Was his intent to bring down the helicopter?”
Kids do stupid things... I doubt that that was his intent. He probably didn’t even consider the ramifications.
” They are the SCOURGE of this country. “
You might want to qualify that.
My brother and I were raised fatherless.(He died when we were still preschoolers.) We did just fine.
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It always be a flash since it would be impossible to train the laser on the eye in a moving vehicle. It would be much less than a camera flash. and it would only get one eye since the beam is so narrow.
Hence the word "temporary" - it is common if your eyes are accustomed to a low light condition, like night, that a bright flash will temporarily overwhelm vision.
The beam leaves the laser narrow but widens over distance. Playing with a flashlight can show you how much larger the spot on the wall is than the size of the light. The widened beam means you don't have to have pin point accuracy? Just hit the front. The beam will flash the windows at least. Think street lights or headlights on a dirty car windshield. Greatly reduces visibility.
It isn't about pilots losing their eyes. It is about an aircraft above a populated area unexpectedly having no or little vision.
“You would?”
Yes, I would. Maybe by saying his intent out loud it might compute with him what a possibly stupid action this was.
Growing up fatherless is a really bad thing, I agree. My brothers and I did. But I don’t really think that any of us set out to commit harm on purpose.
“And you think it would be a good idea to shine a laser into a cockpit?”
Of course not... And it was stupid.
However laser exposures are measured in watt seconds. With a visible laser the eye will blink to protect it’s self, plus the vehicle is moving. It would be much more dangerous with an infrared laser, and they come in really dangerous power levels.
As I said upthread...this “kid” is 18...not 8.
DULY QUALIFIED.
I was, of course, referring to women of a certain socio-economic class who get BENEFITS for illegitimate children.
Yes, he is NOT a kid. I also read it upthread (which, by the way, is a nifty phrase).
He is an adult, a man who can work, pay taxes and vote.
I agree.
I used to work with IR and some of my coworkers got burned. Of course, these were military grade. The worst part was you never knew until your laser eye exam—one guy had 7 holes in his cornea. It gave everyone a new respect, and they quit bitching about the goggles.
“The beam leaves the laser narrow but widens over distance.”
It does a bit because the lenses are not that good, but remember that the effective power decreases with the square of the diversion.
“Of course, these were military grade.”
What was military grade 10 years ago in available on ebay today for 50 bucks...
You HAD a father. Unfortunately he died young, but you HAD a father.
You mother MARRIED him and had TWO children with him...so you were NOT fatherless.
You knew who he was and why he wasn't around anymore.
You could see photos of him, ones holding YOU and your brother, ones with your mother, their wedding photos, photos of your father, perhaps, with HIS grandparents.
The woman who has baby after baby with man after man without any care for marriage and family is as far removed from your mother (and mine) as the Earth is from the Eskimo Nebula.
See my note to Mears.
“You HAD a father. Unfortunately he died young, but you HAD a father. “
—
You know,you are right——and his parents were wonderful to my mother.
Mom worked full time until she was 70 and she died at 91.
I still “talk” to my Dad when I watch The Red Sox games. He adored them.
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it can blind, temporarily, or disorient the pilot...very dangerous....and illegal.
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