Zapped

Because he pointed a green laser at a police helicopter, a San Diego man was sentenced to eight months in state prison on February 8. In a press release, district attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced that Timothy Allen, 39, pleaded guilty to the charge in January.

In November, an SDPD helicopter had a series of green laser beams pointed at it. The pilots were unable to locate the Southeast San Diego residence from which the laser originated. At the same time, Lindbergh Field contol-tower officials received reports from several commercial jets that had green laser beams flashed at them while on approach to the airport.

On November 26, again someone from the same area used a green laser on SDPD pilots. At that time, pilots were able to determine the source. Allen was arrested and charged with two counts of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft. For other crimes (vehicle theft, receipt of stolen property, being in possession of a deadly weapon), Allen had two years added to his sentence.