A Chula Vista man was jailed Nov. 30 after he was arraigned on a felony charge of aiming a laser pointer at a U.S. Customs & Border Protection helicopter at night.
Michael Angelo Ramirez, 27, is accused of aiming the laser pointer Aug. 19 as the Air and Marine Operations A-Star helicopter was flying over Chula Vista.
The laser lit up the cockpit of the helicopter, causing the flight spotter to close his eyes, which was dangerous because the helicopter was flying over power lines, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
The helicopter altered its flight path, but the laser beam continued. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter to identify the source and it was coming from a white Jeep Patriot on Proctor Valley Road.
The aircraft flight crew notified San Diego Sector Communication which in turn notified the Brown Field Border Patrol station and the Chula Vista Police Department.
The vehicle turned west on Proctor Valley Road and then into a shopping plaza at the intersection of Proctor Valley Road in Chula Vista. Officers made contact with Ramirez, who was a passenger, and the driver.
Ramirez told officers he thought the object in the sky was a drone and shined the laser at it, according to court records. When he learned it was a helicopter, he turned the laser off, he added.
The driver, who was interviewed separately, told officers he knew the object was a helicopter as soon as he saw it, records say.
Agents arrested Ramirez at 1:30 a.m. He was later freed on bond.
Ramirez apparently had a violation of his bond conditions and a federal judge issued a warrant for his arrest on Nov. 15. A bond revocation hearing is set for Dec. 7 in U.S. District Court in San Diego.
Ramirez has pleaded not guilty.
