Man gets 3 years for pointing laser at planes

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By WSBT News1

Story Created: Jan 25, 2009 at 10:03 AM EST

Story Updated: Jan 25, 2009 at 10:03 AM EST

CLEVELAND (AP) — A northeast Ohio man who shined a green laser into the cockpits of a police helicopter and several other aircraft has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors say 26-year-old Justin Dewalt pleaded guilty to several felonies, as well as separate drug dealing charges, and was sentenced Friday.

Prosecutors say Dewalt bought a high-powered laser off the Internet and brought it to a party in Cleveland on June 4.

Lasers can temporarily blind pilots, and flight crews of two planes about to land at Cleveland Hopkins Airport reported that their cockpits were being hit by a laser.

Later that night, lasers hit the cockpit of a medical helicopter flying a patient to a hospital, as well as the police helicopter.

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