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Federal prosecutors said Kevin Adamchak temporarily blinded a helicopter pilot with a laser pointer.
DENVER — A Franktown man has pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft after temporarily blinding a police helicopter pilot in Denver earlier this year.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado, 43-year-old Kevin William Adamchak aimed a blue laser at Denver’s Air 1 helicopter while it was being used for aerial surveillance on March 2.
Using a thermal imager and camera, the release said, the Air 1 crew determined that the laser strike originated from a parking lot near the intersection of East 55th Avenue and Logan Court in Denver. Air 1 located a suspect, who was later identified as Adamchak.
The video above is our previous reporting on this case.
The Air 1 pilot said the laser strike caused flash blindness and intense pain in both eyes. He was able to maintain control of the helicopter until he could see again.
“What some may think is just a prank—pointing a laser pointer at an aircraft—actually presents a deadly risk to people in the aircraft and on the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan in a statement. “We hope that this case will raise public awareness of these serious dangers.”
“A laser strike on an aircraft is not a game,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “It’s a serious action with possibly lethal consequences. The FBI will continue to vigorously investigate these incidents.”
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7.
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