Features
Procedures
Safety & Training
Teens charged following Oshawa laser strike
August 11, 2011 By The Toronto Star
Aug. 11, 2011, Oshawa, Ont. - Six teens face assault charges after a police helicopter was struck with a laser while patrolling over Oshawa, the second incident within the last year.
The Durham police helicopter, Air 1, was flying over Rossland and Thorton Rds. around 12:30 a.m. July 29 when it was hit by a strong, green laser beam pointed directly at the cockpit, police said.
The pilot, who was not affected, was able to land the helicopter, but a flight officer was hit directly in the eye and suffered temporary vision problems, police said.
The officer has since recovered.
Officers traced the beam to the backyard of a house on Dunrobin Crt., where they seized a laser.
Police say six teenagers passed the laser around, taking turns aiming it at the helicopter.
Police say the laser was a generic model that could be bought in a store and not a prohibited product.
Curtis Lee, Aaron Mountjoy, Andrew Capesky, Dale Branton and Alana Capesky, all 18-years-old, face six charges including assault with a weapon causing bodily harm and mischief endangering life.
Robert Roughly, 18, of Dunrobin Crt. was previously charged in the incident.
Durham police said these incidents don’t happen often in their region but this is the second time their Air 1 helicopter has been targeted recently by a laser.
