FL Man Pointed Laser Light At Sheriff’s Helicopter: PCSO

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A St. Petersburg man was arrested Thursday night after aiming a laser light at a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.

Harold Church, Jr., 70, was charged with one count of misuse of a laser lighting device, a third-degree felony, the sheriff’s office said.

Church shone the laser at a helicopter assisting deputies with a burglary call in the 6000 block of 53rd Avenue N. in unincorporated St. Petersburg around 8:10 p.m.

Flight deputies noticed a blue laser light directly pointed at the helicopter multiple times, the sheriff’s office said.

The deputies maintained their view of the suspect, later identified as Church, outside of his home on 54th Avenue N. and directed patrol deputies to his location.

Church admitted to illuminating the helicopter with the laser lighting device.

He was booked into Pinellas County Jail after his arrest.