A 22-year-old Windsor man faces charges after someone pointed a green laser beam at a U.S. Customs helicopter near the Detroit River.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the helicopter was conducting operations over protests that were being held in Detroit on Wednesday at around 10 p.m., when the crew detected the laser beam.
The crew used the helicopter's camera system to pinpoint the origin of the laser and track a suspect while flying along the Detroit River. The crew was able to inform the control tower of the suspect's location, which was then relayed to Windsor police officers who made an arrest.
Police arrested Ali Zahair and charged him with mischief, two counts of failing to comply with a release order, and breach of a probation order. He was also wanted on outstanding warrants.
The charges against Zahair have not been proven in court.
"The public is reminded that lasers present a serious risk to aviator safety and can cause pilots to suffer flash blindness and other sudden vision problems, as well as permanent vision damage," U.S. Customs said in a news release. "Laser incidents also threaten the safety of innocent people on the ground."
U.S. Customs said owning a hand-held laser may not be illegal, but shining it into a cockpit of an aircraft is a federal crime. Being convicted of interference with an aircraft can result in 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
