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US: UPDATED - Man takes his own life before being sentenced for aiming laser at helicopter

A Utah man died by suicide on September 17 2009, shortly before being sentenced for aiming a laser at a Utah National Guard helicopter.

On February 19 2009, Joshua Don Park allegedly pointed a green laser beam two times at the Apache helicopter as it was flying over the Bluffdale area, about 20 miles south of Salt Lake City. Pilot Ken Samson said “It was strong enough that it illuminated my window, but not the entire cabin.” According to Samson, the laser was brighter than a laser pen, but was not a “military grade” laser.

The air crew notified the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office of the approximate location. A deputy went door to door. When they encountered Park, the 30-year-old said he had a laser pointer to play with his cats. Park admitted that he had shined a laser at the aircraft.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Park “believed that the helicopter was way too far away for it to make an impact or even see [sic]”

Park was charged on March 11 2009 with one count of interference with the operation of an aircraft. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

From KSL.com (Feb 25 arrest report, March 11 charge) and Deseret News

UPDATED - August 31 2017: A National Guard pilot told the South Valley Journal that Park committed suicide shortly before he could be sentenced. Park died September 17 2009, according to a September 20 obituary in the Deseret News which included this photo:

Joshua Don Park laser

The South Valley Journal article implied that Park’s suicide was linked to the laser incident, and that it changed how the National Guard reacted to laser incidents. The article stated “Since that sobering incident, no Utah National Guard pilots have reported lasing incidents to the FBI—but not for lack of occurrences.”

US: 3 aircraft lased while landing at Salt Lake City

Three aircraft, on approach about six miles south of Salt Lake City International Airport, were targeted with a green laser beam between 8:00 and 8:15 pm local time, August 17 2014. The SkyWest aircraft, which held from 20 to 50 passengers, “landed without incident and there were no injuries,” according to an airport spokesperson.

Police are investigating.

The Deseret News quoted the president of the Utah General Aviation Association, who said he had a laser aimed at his private plane while landing near Sandy, Utah. The beam entered the cockpit several times over about 10 seconds. "When the laser came into the cockpit, I realized immediately what it was, and specifically didn't look at it," Dave Haymond said. "In fact, (I) shielded my eyes with my hand. I knew what it was and how dangerous it was … and was able to protect myself from it. But it's a bad deal."

From the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News

US: Police looking for person who lased 2 planes at Salt Lake airport

Green laser beams were flashed at two airplanes as they were landing at Salt Lake International Airport on May 10 2012. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 was lased at an altitude of 9,500 feet above ground level, roughly 13 miles from the airport. About 12 minutes later, a Learjet was hit by a laser beam as it was descending through 6,000 feet in the same general area. An airport spokesperson said the laser illuminations briefly affected the pilots’ visibility, but did not change the flight path or affect the landing. He called the laser-wielding persons “knuckleheads.”

Police in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Jordan are searching for the perpetrators. They believe the laser beams came from around South Valley Airport.

From KTVU.com, the Salt Lake Tribune, and Fox13now.com