Bradenton police arrested a man Thursday night after deputies say he aimed a laser pointer at a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.
The sheriff’s aviation unit reported the laser strike while flying over Bradenton and tracked the beam to a backyard near16th Street West in Bradenton. Deputies said the crew guided Bradenton police officers and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper to the home, where they arrested 39-year-old Tony Hill.
Deputies said Hill struck the helicopter with the laser pointer at least four times before they brought him into custody. Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime and a serious threat to aviation safety, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Lasers can momentarily blind pilots, putting crews and passengers at risk…