4 October 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A federal grand jury in Wichita has indicted a Lyons man accused of pointing a laser pointer at a Kansas Highway Patrol plane.
Cletis Ringwald, 68, is facing one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Beams from even small lasers can travel over a mile, and if they hit the cockpit of a plane, they can disorient the pilots and even cause temporary blindness, creating an extremely dangerous situation for pilots and anyone who may be on board.
Pointing a laser at a plane is a federal crime that carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In 2018, a Wichita man was indicted for the same crime for pointing a laser pointer at a Kansas Highway Patrol plane flying over south Wichita.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case.