Man arrested after 9 laser pointer incidents near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
DALLAS, TEXAS (AP) --
A helicopter crew tracing the path of a bright green light in the early
morning darkness Wednesday guided deputies to a suspect in the shining
of a laser at eight commercial planes flying near Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport.
No
crewmembers or passengers were hurt but controllers changed the flight
paths of the aircraft, which continued on to DFW airport, Dallas Love
Field or Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, according to the Federal
Aviation Administration.
A
Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter, which also came under the
laser's beam, directed Johnson County sheriff's deputies to a rural
home.
Austin
Lawrence Siferd, 23, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of
illumination of an aircraft by intense light. Deputies confiscated a
laser light, said sheriff's Lt. Tim Jones.
"Once we started seeing multiple reports from the same geographic area, air traffic controllers began routing aircraft around that particular area," Lunsford said. "We notified law enforcement, DPS happened to have a helicopter in the air. They flew over and the guy shined the laser at their helicopter so they knew exactly where it was coming from."
Deputies who arrived at a residence were met by three people who said they had been asleep, Jones said. Siferd later acknowledged pointing a laser at the planes, "not realizing it was actually strong enough to reach the aircraft," Jones said.
Sheriff's officials didn't immediately release information on bond or an attorney for Siferd. Federal investigators also wanted to question him.
The FAA is investigating incidents last week in New Jersey, where 11 commercial flights reported they were illuminated by lasers.