Teen charged after laser pointed at helicopter in Salina, police say

A 16-year-old was charged after New York State Police said he pointed a green laser at a helicopter near Buckley Road in Salina during the Syracuse Nationals After Hours event. The pilot reported that the beam illuminated the aircraft’s interior while the New York State Police helicopter was operating in Onondaga County at about 11:32 p.m. Friday.

The juvenile was charged with directing a laser at an aircraft in the first degree, a class E felony under New York Penal Law section 240.77. Under that statute, directing a laser at an aircraft is a class A misdemeanor, but the first-degree offense elevates the case to felony level.

State Police have warned in past laser-strike cases that aiming a laser at a helicopter is not a harmless prank. The beam can interfere with a pilot’s vision and flight safety, putting the aircraft, the pilot and people on the ground at risk, especially when crews are working at night over roads and event traffic.

The Syracuse Nationals gave the incident a local edge. The car show and event series includes after-hours programming that brings more activity into the Syracuse and Salina corridor, and police aviation units can be part of crowd management at those high-attendance gatherings. In this case, State Police Aviation was overhead when the green laser struck the helicopter near one of Onondaga County’s busiest event areas.