Man charged with shining laser at two helicopters over Spokane Valley

A 42-year-old man is accused of pointing a green laser at a sheriff’s office helicopter and Life Flight Network helicopter flying above Spokane Valley last week.

Johnny Blackstock was charged with two felony counts of first-degree unlawful discharge of a laser, according to a Spokane Valley police news release.

Spokane Regional Air Support Unit’s Air 1 was making a regularly scheduled patrol flight the night of Oct. 13 when the pilot and crew received several strikes from a green laser on the ground near Pines Road and Mansfield Avenue, police said. The crew guided deputies on the ground to Blackstock near Wilbur Road and Mansfield Avenue.

Blackstock was detained, advised of his rights and declined to answer questions, according to the release.

During the investigation, deputies learned a Life Flight helicopter crew transporting a patient through the same area was also hit by a green laser about 15 minutes before the targeting of Air 1. That crew safely completed their flight, the release said.

Deputies found a laser in Blackstock’s pants pocket, deputies said. He was then booked into jail.

Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a felony under state law, and anyone caught committing the crime can also face federal charges and fines.

“A laser strike to any aircraft is extremely dangerous as the laser, at a minimum, distracts pilots/crews, can momentarily blind them, and can potentially cause permanent injury depending on its strength,” the release said.

Pilots reported nearly 9,500 laser strikes to the Federal Aviation Administration last year, according to the FAA.

Over 8,700 incidents have been reported so far this year. Nearly 400 of those were in Washington. Only California, Texas, Indiana and Florida have had more laser incidents than Washington this year.

Sheriff’s office Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesman for the department, estimated the sheriff’s office has made two to four arrests in the last five to 10 years for pointing a laser at an aircraft.

Blackstock remained in the Geiger Corrections Center on Friday for the two laser charges, as well as an unrelated felony charge of threats to kill. His bond was set at $5,000.