A Florida man named Charlie Chapman spent his Wednesday night pointing a laser at airplanes, even temporarily blinding a pilot trying to land. Thankfully, his actions didn’t do anything to disrupt normal operations, and authorities soon arrested him on multiple charges.
The 41-year-old was hanging out just east of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, and authorities say he shot the laser several times at a fixed-wing plane and once at a police helicopter. The pilot of the plane said the laser hit him directly in the eyes, which blinded him for a short period of time and caused lingering blurry vision.
After the helicopter located him, and police surrounded him and moved to arrest him, they say that “he grabbed a hammer and made a striking motion towards the deputies.” That led to him being tased, then taken to a hospital before going to jail.
Chapman is facing charges of aggravated assault on an officer, pointing a laser at a pilot and resisting arrest.
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