Two People Arrested and Charged in Connection to Laser Strike on an Airplane
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) plane was struck by a laser on Tuesday, July 1. Two people have been arrested in connected with the strike.
The NSP plane was on air patrol above Lincoln when it was hit.
“Pointing a laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous,” said Lieutenant Justin Grint, Commander of the NSP Aviation Support Unit. “A laser strike can temporarily blind a pilot, and at a minimum takes the pilot’s attention away from flying the aircraft. Never point a laser at an aircraft.”
The NSP pilot contacted the Lincoln Police Department (LPD) saying the laser came from the area around Portia and Knox streets in north Lincoln. When the LPD searched the car, they found methamphetamine.
The driver, 43-year-old Alena Moniz, and the passenger, 39-year-old Jade Ways, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Moniz was also charged with attempted assault on an officer in the second degree.
According to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol, pointing a laser at an aircraft is federal crime. They state the investigation is ongoing and has been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration.
