CALGARY – Police have laid charges against a 19-year-old man after he allegedly pointed a laser at the HAWCS helicopter, early Thursday morning.
It happened in the northwest community of Dalhousie around 1:30 a.m.
HAWCS was doing a routine patrol of the area, when it’s alleged the man pointed a green laser at the pilots.
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Police say this could have led to dangerous consequences, potentially blinding the pilots and leading to a crash.
Police have charged 19-year-old Michael Sanche with assault causing bodily harm, mischief causing danger to life and common nuisance endangering life.
Sanche is also charged with projection of a directed, bright-light source at an aircraft under the Canadian Aviation Regulations Aeronautic Act.
It’s not the first time something like this has happened in Calgary.
In 2011, two flights approaching the Calgary International Airport were hit by a laser beam, and one man was arrested after a green laser was pointed at a police helicopter responding to a disturbance call.
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