WEST SIDE MAN INDICTED FOR SHINING LASER INTO THE COCKPIT OF SEVERAL POLICE HELICOPTERS AND A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT LANDING AT THE AIRPORT

Posted on 8/29/2018

Defendant: Eugene Lamont Robinson

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “Not only did this man repeatedly shine an extremely bright laser into the cockpits of three Columbus Police helicopters, but he also interfered with the crew’s ability of a Southwest Airlines aircraft to fly safely as they were landing at John Glenn International Airport.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against Eugene Lamont Robinson, age 36, for four counts of Interfering with the Operation of an Aircraft with a Laser (F-2).  Late in the evening on July 18^th and into the early morning hours of July 19^th, 2018, while Columbus Police were on flight patrol, numerous CPD helicopters were struck repeatedly with a bright green laser that all appeared to be coming from the area of Regina Avenue and Hodges Drive.  “The laser illuminated the entire cockpit of each helicopter, virtually blinding the pilots flying the helicopters.  During that same time span, a Southwest Airlines flight with 61 passengers was in the process of landing at John Glenn International Airport, when they also reported to Columbus Air Traffic Control that they were being struck with an extremely powerful green laser in their cockpit,” O’Brien stated.  Officers on the ground were sent to the area to search for a suspect and eventually the source of the light was determined to be coming from the 800 block of Hodges Drive where the suspect was taken into custody and a six inch Laser 303 was recovered by police.  O’Brien further stated, “This defendant faces over twenty years in prison if convicted of the counts in this indictment.”  Arraignment for Robinson is set for Wednesday, September 12^th at 1:30 pm in courtroom 2A at 345 S. High Street in downtown Columbus.