Teen charged with laser strikes on police chopper

A Richmond Hill teenager faces several charges after allegedly pointing a laser at a police helicopter.

York Regional Police said shortly after midnighton Aug. 1 its chopper was over the area of Yonge Street and High Tech Road, assisting officers on the ground with a traffic stop, when it was struck by a bright light source.

Officers were directed to two male suspects on Yonge Street, one of whom was arrested.

The teen faces charges including:

• Two counts of assaulting a peace officer.
• Two counts of mischief endangering life.
• Obstructing police.
• Endangering an aircraft.

The suspect cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The chopper landed and both the pilot and another officer were taken to hospital for treatment before being released.

Police warn that laser strikes can cause temporary blindness, risking both damage to the officers eyes and the safe handling of an aircraft.

The Edmonton Police Service recently released a video demonstrating what both laser strikes and suspects look like from a pilots point of view.