Man arrested for allegedly pointing laser at a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man was arrested on Saturday after Memphis Police say he repeatedly pointed a laser into the cockpit of a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter.
Eric Price, 47, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault for the following incident:
On Friday at 10:30 p.m., a state trooper spoke with a Pilot Lieutenant with the Tennessee Highway Patrol who told them that an unidentified person repeatedly pointed a laser into the cockpit of his helicopter while they were actively in flight and flying above the Memphis area, putting all three passengers at risk of serious bodily harm or injury as a result of the use of the laser.
In the police report, troopers say that it should be noted that pointing a laser at an aircraft pilot can cause temporary blindness and disorientation, which can put both the flight crew and civilians below at risk of death or serious bodily harm.
In this case, the victims said that the persistent laser pointing forced them to shield their eyes and operate the helicopter temporarily without maintaining a visual on the airspace to avoid further risk of incapacitation or death.
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The state trooper was told that the laser was coming from a shed behind the address of a home in the 400 block of Angelus Street in Memphis.
When the trooper arrived at the house, he made contact with a man through the window of the residence. The man was later identified as Eric Price.
While speaking with the trooper, Price spontaneously uttered that he was the one responsible for pointing the laser at the helicopter.
Price was arrested and was held on $20,000 bond. He has since been released.
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, they will be investigating this incident as well.
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“The FAA works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to pursue civil and criminal penalties against people who deliberately aim a laser at an aircraft,” FAA administrator Mike Whitaker said.
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration started a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of laser strikes after noticing an increase in incidents.
The FAA says intentionally pointing a laser at an aircraft is a serious threat to aviation safety and a federal crime.
Last year, pilots reported 13,304 laser strikes to the FAA
So far this year, there have been 8,863 incidents. 483 of those happened in Tennessee.
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