Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our spring member drive has ended, but it's not too late to give. You have the power to help fund the essential journalism that keeps us all informed. Help us close the gap on our spring fundraising goal! GIVE NOW

Man Sentenced To 30 Months For Pointing Laser At Airplane

A man in California has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for pointing a laser at a small jet as it approached the runway at Burbank airport.

Adam Gardenhire, 19, of North Hollywood, was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty in October to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, according to The Pasadena Star-News.

He was arrested on March 29 after authorities said he aimed a "commercial-grade" green laser at the NetJet Cessna Citation coming in for a landing, reportedly leaving the pilot temporarily with impaired vision. Later, authorities say Gardenhire pointed the laser at a police helicopter sent to identify the source of the concentrated light.

The judge in Garedenhire's case said the prison term should serve to send a message to others, according to Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Laser-pointing laws are common in many states and the president last year signed a measure to make it a federal crime to deliberately aim a laser at an aircraft.

The phenomenon is not uncommon, with a report earlier this month that two men were arrested in Tucson for the a similar crime.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.