Couple Accused Of Aiming Laser Pointer At Sheriff's Helicopter

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — A couple has been arrested after a laser was allegedly pointed at a Los Angeles County sheriff's helicopter during a training exercise.

Sheriff's officials say the incident occurred Tuesday night in Agoura Hills. The flight crew notified patrol deputies that a laser had been pointed at the helicopter from a home in the 5300 block of Francisca Way in Agoura Hills.

Deputies were directed to a home, where they arrested 31-year-old Christopher Cooper of Lake Elsinore and 32-year-old Tanjelina Meredith of San Juan Capistrano, who were visiting a friend at the Agoura Hills home, on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft, a felony.

There have been six laser strikes on sheriff's department aircraft this year alone.

Since 2010, when the Aero Bureau of the sheriff's departments began keeping track of laser strikes, LASD aircraft have been struck 35 times. In 24 of those events, a suspect was identified, arrested and booked for pointing a laser at an aircraft. Laser strike suspects who are prosecuted by the U.S. attorney face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)