ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A Clay County man was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday for pointing a laser at a Coast Guard aircraft.
Justin Marland Fisher, 41, of Orange Park, violated federal law when he aimed a laser pointer while the Coast Guard was conducting a helicopter training missing in Green Cove Springs in September 2021, according to the Department of Justice.
If convicted, Fisher faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
I-TEAM: Dangerous laser strikes reach highest numbers in 2021
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), dangerous laser strikes topped all previous records in 2021. The FAA received 9,723 reports from pilots last year, a 41 percent increase over 2020.
Intentionally aiming lasers at aircrafts poses a safety threat to pilots and violates federal law. Click here to learn more.