TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE LINCOLN, NEBRASKA POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER A LASER STRIKE ON AN NEBRASKA STATE PATROL AIRPLANE TUESDAY NIGHT.
A PATROL PILOT AND TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER WERE PERFORMING AN AERIAL PATROL ABOVE THE CITY OF LINCOLN AROUND 11:30PM WHEN THEIR PLANE WAS STRUCK BY A LASER FROM THE GROUND.
ANY LASER STRIKE CONSTITUTES AN IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY.
TROOPERS WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE LASER CAME FROM THE AREA OF PORTIA AND KNOX STREETS IN NORTH LINCOLN.
THE FLIGHT OFFICER CONTACTED LINCOLN POLICE ON THE GROUND AND DIRECTED THEM TO THE AREA WHERE THE LASER STRIKE ORIGINATED.
OFFICERS FOUND TWO PEOPLE AT THE LOCATION, AS WELL AS A LASER, A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
43-YEAR-OLD ALENA MONIZ AND 39-YEAR-OLD JADE WAYS, BOTH OF LINCOLN, WERE ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.
STATE TROOPERS ALSO RESPONDED AND CITED MONIZ FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER, IN RELATION TO THE LASER STRIKE.
POINTING A LASER AT AN AIRCRAFT IS A FEDERAL CRIME.
THE STATE PATROL HAS REPORTED THE LASER STRIKE TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THERE WERE 20 LASER STRIKES REPORTED IN NEBRASKA IN 2025.
