2 sentenced after laser strikes target OSHP pilots
*Attached video: Laser strikes target OSHP pilots
ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW) – Two people have been sentenced for shining a laser and an LED spotlight at an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter, which is a federal offense.
According to a press release from the Lorain County Common Please Court, Jason McCloskey, 54, pleaded guilty to attempted obstructing official business, which is a first-degree misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine on March 4.
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Louis Bernard, 42, was found guilty of one count of criminal damaging or endangering. He was sentenced to one year of community contract, ending on October 29, 2024, and must pay a supervision fee of $120.
Bernard is also not allowed to leave the State of Ohio without permission from his probation officer.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the pilot of an Airbus AS350 was hit with a green-and-blue laser while flying over Elyria on the night of April 14, 2023. No one was injured.
Though strikes from commercially available lasers aren’t likely to cause permanent injury, they can be a dangerously disorienting mid-flight distraction or cause temporary blindness, according to the FAA.
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Ray Woods, 61, the third suspect in the case, is set for trial on May 28 at 8:30 a.m.
McCloskey, Bernard and Woods were all arrested in connection to the crime in April of 2023.
Click here to report laser strikes to the FAA.
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