Fernando Garces, Laser Interference, Oregon 2016

Fernando Garces, 25, of Portland, is off the hook for prison — but not for the crime of targeting a news helicopter with a high-powered laser during a volatile protest in 2016. The federal court sentenced Garces today to two years of probation for deliberately aiming a blinding blue laser beam at a KGW news chopper hovering over the Burnside Bridge.

The attack unfolded on the evening of November 9, 2016, as protesters packed the bridge and traffic crawled to a standstill. The KGW helicopter was airborne, capturing footage of the unrest below. Inside, a pilot and a photographer were doing their jobs — until a searing flash of light filled the cockpit.

Garces, driving his vehicle on the bridge, pointed the laser directly at the aircraft. The intense beam penetrated the windshield, temporarily blinding both crew members. The pilot, disoriented and unable to read instruments, fought to regain control. For nearly a full minute, the helicopter was illuminated by the laser as the pilot struggled to maneuver away from the attack.

According to court documents, the pilot made repeated attempts to reposition the aircraft to escape the beam. Only after breaking visual contact was he able to safely stabilize the chopper and return to base. The incident could have ended in disaster — a crash in a densely populated area, with potential for mass casualties.

The FBI took the case seriously, launching a full investigation into the act of aerial interference, a federal offense. The probe led to Garces, whose actions endangered not just the crew but also pedestrians and drivers below. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Horsley prosecuted the case in the District of Oregon, emphasizing the recklessness of targeting an aircraft mid-flight.

No fine was imposed, and no jail time handed down. But Garces now carries a federal conviction for aiming a laser at an aircraft — a crime with potentially catastrophic consequences. The sentence has sparked debate over whether probation is enough for an act that, in another moment, could have gone horribly wrong.

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