A man who allegedly shone a laser pointer at a South Australia Police helicopter could face up to 20 years in jail.
Police say the man, from Lewiston, north of Adelaide, pointed the laser at the helicopter — known as PolAir — about 1:00am while it was patrolling in Adelaide's northern suburbs.
Officers in the helicopter could tell the laser was coming from the Lewiston area and directed police on the ground to attend.
A Barossa patrol found a 47-year-old man in a Lewiston house who had a laser pointer.
He was interviewed and reported for prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft with intent, acts likely to cause harm and possessing a prohibited weapon.
The laser pointer was seized, and the man is expected to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court at a date to be set.
Police said the offence of prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft with intent carries a penalty of up to 20 years' imprisonment in South Australia.
However, in 2015 a man, also from north of Adelaide, was given a suspended sentence of two years and four months for similar offending.
In 2008, another Adelaide man received three years' jail after briefly blinding a police helicopter pilot by pointing a laser at the aircraft.
