On Tuesday, December 5th, 27-year-old Ryan J Fluke, of Port Richey, Florida, was apprehended after flashing a laser pointer in the eyes of a police helicopter pilot, the helicopter pilot landed in a local parking lot an quickly caught the suspect.
At approximately 10:50 pm the Air Unit, flown by Pilot Stephen Bowman, was flying overhead assisting with a barricaded suspect call. Stephen was instructed to provide cover for officers on the ground who were setting up for an entry into the barricaded suspect's residence. On the way to the emergency, the pilot was blinded by a laser pointer, shot up from the ground. The conditions caused by the laser pointer became hazardous for the pilot so he disengaged from his primary objective and decided to land in a nearby parking lot, in search of the laser pointer.
The parking lot was 1/4 mile away from the laser pointer's address and was large enough for the pilot to safely land. Once landed the pilot set off on foot to Fluke’s house at 7515 Ironbark Dr.
Ryan J Fluke was arrested and charged with a felony of misuse of laser lighting devices.