A man in St. Pete Beach found himself in handcuffs after deputies say he pointed a laser at a sheriff's helicopter last Thursday night. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred as the aircraft was aiding ground forces with an Aggravated Assault case near 6850 Beach Plaza; it was then that the flight crew reported being targeted multiple times by a green laser beam.
The source of the disruptive light was tracked to a balcony at 6083 Bahia Del Mar Circle, unit 360, where deputies confronted 61-year-old Dann Wagner, Wagner, who, during the encounter, acknowledged his actions in shining the laser at the helicopter. In the state of Florida, it's a felony offense to aim laser lighting devices at operators of motor vehicles, vessels, or aircraft, which led to Wagner's arrest on a charge of Misuse of a Laser Lighting Device.
Once in custody, the suspect was processed and transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident. Deputies have continued their investigation into the matter.
