Laser Pointed At Sarasota Helicopter Brings Felony Charge

SARASOTA, FL — A Nokomis man was arrested Wednesday for shining a laser at a helicopter while pilots were assisting with a fire in the south county area the night before, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said.

Nick Davidson, 44, is charged with pointing a laser light at a pilot, which is a felony, officials said.

"There is never an appropriate time to shine a laser at a helicopter but doing so when our community is under a declared state of emergency is just in bad taste," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.

The department's helicopter pilots are helping with damage assessments, guiding ground units in areas where street signs have been destroyed and providing aerial support to other law and fire agencies in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, authorities said.

"Not only are Davidson’s actions dangerous, but they have the potential to flash blind and cause long-term damage to the visual capabilities of our pilots. Please, don't do this," the sheriff's office said.