Lake Worth woman shines laser light at sheriff's helicopter, blinding pilot

Jacqueline Robledo faces felony charge of misuse of laser lighting device

Jacqueline Robledo faces a third-degree felony charge of misuse of a laser lighting device.

LAKE WORTH, Fla. – A Lake Worth woman was arrested early Thursday after she shined a laser light into the cockpit of a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office helicopter flying over her neighborhood during a power outage, blinding the pilot, deputies said.

Jacqueline Robledo, 33, faces a third-degree felony charge of misuse of a laser lighting device.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Robledo was standing in the street with a group of people just before 1 a.m. when the helicopter was flying overhead.

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Deputies said the pilot and his co-pilot were both blinded by a laser light from below that was shining into the cockpit.

By the time deputies got to the area, the laser light had been put away, but the helicopter's surveillance video recorded the group.

While deputies were questioning a man who was seen on surveillance video putting the laser light away, he pointed at Robledo and said she was aiming it at the helicopter, even though it was his.
Deputies said Robledo admitted to shining the laser light in the air.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said if the laser light had caused the helicopter to crash, Robledo would be facing a first-degree felony.