TUCKERTON – A borough man was arrested by State Police for aiming his laser pointer at a New Jersey State Police Helicopter.
Jordan Prutzman, 32, was charged on May 5 with pointing a laser at a New Jersey State Police Helicopter in Bass River Township, Burlington County.
At approximately 10:42 p.m. that day, troopers from Troop “C” Tuckerton Station and the State Police Aviation Unit were assisting the Toms River Township Police Department with locating a missing person.
During their search Aviation Troopers were flying in the area and observed someone pointing a laser at their aircraft. Trooper I Michael Jiampetti and Trooper I Brian Harper immediately identified a suspect on the ground who was in the area where the laser came from.
The person entered a vehicle and left the scene. Troopers Jiampetti and Harper notified troopers on the ground of the location of the suspect as they observed the vehicle travel onto the Garden State Parkway.
Trooper Matthew Hamilton spotted the suspect’s vehicle on the Garden State Parkway northbound and pulled him over at milepost 61 in Eagleswood Township.
During the stop, Prutzman admitted he had pointed a laser at the aircraft and was arrested without incident. Prutzman was charged with interference with transportation and released pending a future court date. Federal charges are pending in this investigation.
