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Man Charged After Laser Beam Blinds Pilot
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Published: June 30, 2008
SARASOTA - A 49-year-old man said he was "bored" and "stupid" when he shined a laser beam at a Sarasota Sheriff's helicopter and temporarily blinded the pilot.
Bruce Donath watched the chopper zoom over his home on Worrington Street late Friday night and used his hand-held laser pointer to target the helicopter.
The pilot was 1,000 feet in the air, looking for a robbery suspect, when the beam disabled his night vision goggles, according to an arrest report.
The pilot told deputies on the ground where the light came from and Donath admitted shining the helicopter. He was charged with a felony, misusing a laser lighting device. Authorities found the disassembled pointer in Donath's truck.
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