4 Years In Prison For Texas Man Who Pointed Laser At DPS Helicopter
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A Houston man will spend four years in federal prison after admitting to pointing a laser at a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter.
Prosecutors say Bryan Aldana was sentenced Monday for the incident that happened in 2018. Aldana pleaded guilty in April to pointing a green laser light at an Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter while it was in the air.
DPS agents were flying over Houston when the light illuminated the helicopter's left side. The pilot reversed course and the chopper was again targeted, as the laser lit up the cockpit. Prosecutors say the pilot had to close and shield his eyes.
Authorities say Houston police and nearby store security video later helped identify Aldana as the suspect. The tape showed him sitting in a chair near a car and pointing the laser. The laser was examined by a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist who determined the beam could result in serious and possibly permanent retinal damage.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
