Crime

Arlington man arrested, accused of shining laser pointer at Fort Worth police helicopter

An archive photo of a Fort Worth Police Department helicopter.
An archive photo of a Fort Worth Police Department helicopter.

A 48-year-old man was arrested after he was accused of shining a laser pointer at a police helicopter in Arlington early Tuesday morning, according to police.

Gregory Bills was arrested after police in Arlington said he pointed the laser at the Fort Worth Police Department’s Air 1 helicopter around 2:40 a.m.. The helicopter’s assistance was requested by Arlington officers who were trying to locate a stolen vehicle.

Arlington police said the pilot of Air 1 reported that someone was shining a laser at him from the 1200 block of Land Rush Drive, where they found Bills. After talking to him, officers found a laser pointer in his possession and arrested him, police said.

Bills was booked into the Arlington Jail on one count each of interfering with public duties and illuminating an aircraft with a laser pointer, impairing the operator. He was released Tuesday afternoon, according to jail records.

This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 5:55 PM.

James Hartley
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
James Hartley was a news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 2019 to 2024
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