On October 24, 2018, Sheriff's helicopter 40 King4 was assigned a call in the city off Apple Valley. While enroute to the call for service, the helicopter was struck with a purple laser several times in the area of Del Rosa Ave/Pacific Ave in the city of San Bernardino. Deputies contacted the San Bernardino Police Department regarding the crime and requested assistance with locating the suspect(s). Deputies used the Forward Looking Infared (FLIR) camera to conduct a search of the area, and the helicopter was struck several more times during its orbits. Deputies were able to locate two subjects standing in the driveway of a residence on Anson St., near where they believed the laser was used. Deputies watched the subjects on the FLIR camera and then saw one subject point his arm at the helicopter. At the same time the helicopter was again struck with the laser. Deputies coordinated with officers from the San Bernardino Police Department, who had severa l units in the area, and they contacted the two subjects in the driveway.
Officers made contact with Jeffrey Diaz and located the laser on his person. It was determined that Diaz discharged the laser at the helicopter several times that night and several other times throughout the previous week. Diaz was arrested for PC 247.5, and booked at Central Detention Center.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department would like to remind the public that pointing/discharging any type of laser at an aircraft in operation, while in motion or in flight, could severly damage the pilot's ability to control the aircraft. It is also a felony in the State of California and a Federal offense.
Sheriff's Aviation Crew: Pilot-Deputy Ryan Peppler and Tactical Flight Officer-Deputy Greg Ditfurth