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Grown Woman Arrested for Pointing Laser Beam at Cop Choppers
Teens and young adults have done it (and been put in the pokey), but it's a bit unexpected to learn that a grown woman, namely 34-year-old Kelly Ann Smith, has been arrested on charges she pointed a laser beam at "an LBPD helicopter and at a Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department helicopter," reports the Press-Telegram.
Smith was arrested on February 5th in conjunction with a January 29th incident in which she allegedly trained her laser beam to alight on choppers conducting a suspect search following the shooting of two Long Beach PD gang detectives. She now faces two felony counts for her follies.
The FAA continually warns of the dangers of lasers being pointed towards aircraft. LAX had more laser-pointing incidents than any other airport in the country last year--over 100 of them. Law enforcement aircraft, such as the ones in the Smith incident, have also been the target of many people's lasers, as well.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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