Bellingham man suspected of shining laser at CBP helicopter, hitting agent in the eye
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent who was flying in a Blackhawk helicopter Wednesday night had to seek medical attention after being struck in the eye with a laser shined into the cabin of the aircraft from a Bellingham-area home.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Ronald Gregory Boettcher, 34, into Whatcom County Jail March 24 on suspicion of first-degree unlawful discharge of a laser. Jail records show Boettcher was released Thursday on $1,500 bail.
Deputies responded at approximately 9 p.m. Wednesday to the area of East Cliffside Drive for the report that a laser had been aimed at the CBP helicopter that was performing a series of training approaches at Bellingham International Airport, sheriff’s office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Bellingham Herald in an email. Two agents were in the helicopter at the time.
On their final two approaches, the pilots reported that a laser was aimed into the helicopter’s cockpit, Slater reported. It was believed to be coming from a home in the 3900 block of East Cliffside Drive.
A neighbor also saw the laser being pointed at the helicopter for a sustained period of time, and said they were certain it had been coming from the backyard of a home where deputies found Boettcher lived, according to Slater.
Deputies contacted Boettcher at the home, and he denied possessing a laser or shining one at an aircraft, Slater reported, but when deputies discovered he had a laser pointer, his story changed.
One of the CBP pilots sought medical treatment after being struck in the eye, according to Slater.
The Bellingham Herald has asked CBP for an update on the pilot’s injuries and for comment on the incident.
According to data published by lasersafety.com, pilots reported 6,852 laser illumination incidents to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in 2020 — up 10.3% from the 6,213 incidents in 2019 and 21% from 5,663 reported in 2018.
Boettcher has a 2017 conviction for malicious mischief after he keyed a car, causing $1,600 damage, in downtown Bellingham after he had a restraining order against him extended.
