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.
Wait!
This is the press. Shouldn't that be "unarmed teenager?"
The only question I have for this fool is...why???
Someone please explain to me how a pen laser is supposed to bring down a helicopter, not to mention a high-flying jet plane.
Amazing that the cops find these laser idiots within hours. Why does it take them so long to find anyone else - like Osama and the FBI most wanted. Temporarily blinded. My eye!
“Someone please explain to me how a pen laser is supposed to bring down a helicopter, not to mention a high-flying jet plane.”
I’ve seen a green one and it did pack a good punch (used for astronomy). I’d hate to be blinded flying an aircraft...but no, I don’t know of any accidents (yet) due to lasers.
This kid was probably just a dumb lout and didn’t know a thing about flying or even about lasers. However, they can blind, and even a brief blinding is not good for a pilot (even flying on instruments).
I know the usual FR ant-police crowd is going to surface here screaming “police overreaction, these were just boys having fun,” but it’s actually very dangerous. These kids may or may not have known that, but I think they’ll remember it now.
“I know the usual FR ant-police crowd is going to surface here screaming “police overreaction, these were just boys having fun,” but it’s actually very dangerous. These kids may or may not have known that, but I think they’ll remember it now.”
Agree. I too feel bad when people get in trouble with stuff that didn’t even exist in the recent past. 20 years ago no one cared what you did inside your car when you drove - now you lose your license (or worse) if you don’t wear seatbelts (due to airbags) or talk on your phone (which didn’t exist).
But people do need to be ‘educated’ and it’s not easy to reach them in LaHood otherwise - so you have to hit them with what is a blunt instrument.
“It is more than a distraction.”
It’s a mostly made up problem. Although there are some pretty powerful green and blue lasers out there, Do you realize that 100s of millions of them have been sold, and 100s of thousands of people have been hit in the eye with them. Nobody to date has been blinded with one.
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.
My first thought exactly!
With a tiny bit of tactical care and a whole lot of silence I should think one could get away with this crime fairly easily. Of course, there is no entrance exam to a life of crime.
That brings my original question back...why?
Perhaps everything you say is true...I’m no laser expert.
But I doubt this kid is either. Was his intent to bring down the helicopter?
“The only question I have for this fool is...why???
“
—
Because he’s an 18 year old guy,that’s why??
.
It’s good to know we do have things we can use as weapons when the cops turn on the people.
That still doesn’t compute with my tiny brain. Of course, I’m not an 18 year old guy, never have been and don’t play one on tv. He is old enough to vote and join the military.
He’s not 8 years old doing a science fair project. I would like to hear what the reasoning was.
Did you check the link? The size of a laser is dependent on the range. A laser at length can create a large flash that can cause night blindness. There are plenty of false rules such as cell phone restrictions, but this is a real hazard.
As an HP engineer, I used to teach laser safety classes, and I’ve worked with them for 40 years.
BETCHA he's a fatherless kid. He lives with mama and may have oodles of half sisters/brothers SOMEWHERE...but papa? GONE with the wind.
Another fatherless boy on the loose. They are the SCOURGE of this country.
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