Man accused of pointing laser beam at attack helicopter in Middle Georgia gets indicted
A Macon federal grand jury charged a man Tuesday with pointing a laser beam at two attack helicopters, according to court records.
William Richard Bowden was indicted on two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft for allegedly aiming “the beam of a laser pointer at an AH-1Z attack helicopter, an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States,” on Oct. 21, 2025, according to his indictment.
Though the location was not specified, it occurred within the Macon division of the Middle District of Georgia, the indictment says.
If Bowden is convicted, he could face a fine, imprisonment of less than five years, or both, according to federal law.
Why is it illegal?
Though laser pointers seem harmless, they can incapacitate pilots and put passengers at risk by potentially causing a collision midair, according to the FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The cockpit windows can reflect the laser beam and fill up the space. It can be dangerous if a pilot’s field of vision is obstructed by the laser when they need to focus on something far away, such as a runway, according to the federal agencies.
The offender can face additional penalties on top of their sentence, with the FAA potentially imposing an $11,000 fine each time someone aims a laser beam at an aircraft.
