A Plant City man was arrested after pointing a laser at a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.
At about 11 p.m. Friday, March 13, the helicopter was conducting routine flight operations near the Plant City Airport, when it was struck by a green laser.
Pilots pinpointed the laser’s location within the Walden Lake community. They obtained video evidence of a suspect as he was shining the laser at the helicopter.
The suspect was identified as William Polson, 57, of Plant City.
While deputies were on their way to Polson’s residence in Walden Lake, Polson drove away in a vehicle. Ground units received direction from pilots until they found Polson’s vehicle and pulled him over.
Polson was arrested on charges of misusing a laser lighting device–a felony, and obstruction or opposing an officer without violence–a misdemeanor. His laser was confiscated and he was taken to the Orient Road Jail.
Surveillance video will be posted to the HCSO Facebook page later this afternoon.
