United States Attorney Russell Coleman announced Friday a man who pointed a laser pointer at a Louisville Metro Police Department helicopter has been charged.
The Louisville Metro Police Department says 25-year-old Manuel Martin Salazarleija Jr., of Louisville, was charged with aiming a laser at an Aircraft in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 39A.
The criminal complaint states the incident happened Friday morning around 12:15 while a Louisville Metro Police Department helicopter was performing surveillance of a vehicle fleeing the scene of a burglary at a Walgreens.
While conducting surveillance, the two officers in the helicopter were temporarily blinded by a laser being pointed directly at the helicopter. Following the temporary blindness from the beam of the laser pointer, the officers immediately encountered headaches that impaired their ability to safely pilot the helicopter.
Special Agents with the FBI were able to determine the exact location of the occurrence while on the ground. Salazarleija was located at a residence on East Kentucky Street in Louisville, where he admitted to pointing the laser out of a bedroom window.
Salazarleija admitted to agents he intentionally aimed the beam of the laser pointer at the helicopter while the aircraft was in flight. He claimed he was trying to disrupt the helicopter that he assumed was surveilling the Breonna Taylor protests.
Salazarleija further admitted to dismantling the laser pointer and hiding it in a crawl space within his bedroom.
Helicopters operated by other law enforcement agencies and news station WLKY later reported being targeted by laser pointer beams while in flight over this area.
If found guilty, the charge carries a fine or imprisonment of no more than 5 years or both.
The case is being investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
