Shasta County Man Arrested for Allegedly Shining Laser Pointer at Airplanes
“On Wednesday, March 13th, 2024, at 2240 hours, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a report of a suspect shining a green laser pointer at several aircraft during take-off and landing at the Redding Airport. The Redding Aircraft Control Tower advised the suspect was located at Primrose Avenue and Fig Tree Lane in Redding.
Upon arrival in the area, deputies located several subjects in their backyard at a residence on the 20000 block of Fig Tree Lane. Deputies contacted a male subject at the residence identified as Michael Ybarra, age 36, of Redding, and he admitted to shining the laser at several aircraft. He was also found to be on felony probation out of Shasta County for 487 PC Grand Theft. He was placed under arrest for pointing a laser pointer at occupied aircraft in violation of 247.5 PC and violating the terms of his probation in accordance with 1203.2(a) PC. He was taken into custody without further incident and booked at the Shasta County Jail.
The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft, while in motion or in flight, is punishable as a felony offense with a maximum sentence of three years in state prison.”
