Man charged after laser beamed at Marine One carrying Trump
A man named Jacob Samuel Winkler was charged with a felony after he allegedly aimed a laser pointer at Marine One while President Donald Trump was aboard. Winkler was arrested while walking shirtless and talking to himself. When a police officer shined a flashlight on him, winkler responded by shining a red laser pointer at the officer’s face and then at the helicopter flying overhead. He was detained at the scene and reportedly apologized to Trump. The felony of aiming a laser at an aircraft can result in up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Winkler claimed he did not realize pointing a laser at Marine One was illegal and said he often shines lasers at various objects. It is indeed unclear if anyone on Marine One noticed the laser.This incident occurred shortly after Marine One made an emergency landing in the UK due to a hydraulic issue while Trump and the first lady were on board. Laser pointers pose a serious danger to aircraft by perhaps blinding or disorienting pilots.
Man charged after laser beamed at Marine One carrying Trump
A man was charged with a felony after allegedly aiming a laser pointer at Marine One while President Donald Trump was aboard.
Jacob Samuel Winkler was arrested Sunday while walking along a sidewalk, shirtless and loudly talking to himself. When a police officer shined his flashlight at him, Winkler shined a red laser pointer at his face. He then reportedly shined the laser at an aircraft flying overhead — Marine One. He was detained on the spot and could be heard apologizing to Trump, according to an affidavit viewed by the Associated Press.
The felony charge of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Winkler told authorities that he was not aware that he could not point his laser at Marine One and that he shines it at “at all kinds of things, such as stop signs.”
The affidavit did not note if anyone aboard Marine One noticed the laser.
TRUMP’S HELICOPTER MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING IN ENGLAND DUE TO ‘HYDRAULIC ISSUE’
Laser pointers can blind people at great distances, making their use targeting aircraft especially dangerous. Even momentary exposure could disorient or blind a pilot, risking collisions or crashes.
The incident was the second brush with danger Marine One has experienced in just one week. During Trump’s trip to the United Kingdom last week, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing due to a “hydraulic issue.” The president and first lady Melania Trump were on board at the time of the emergency landing.
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