Woman allegedly shines laser at state patrol airplane, tries to fake medical emergency to avoid arrest
Mar 30, 2026, 6:13 PM
A woman was arrested after she allegedly pointed a laser at a Washington State Patrol plane and tried to evade arrest. (Photo courtesy of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office)
(Photo courtesy of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office)
A Parkland area woman was arrested on felony charges after she allegedly pointed a laser at a Washington State Patrol (WSP) airplane.
Around 10:30 p.m. on March 27, deputies were notified by the WSP, from their aircraft, that they were being actively targeted by a green laser from the ground. The subject could be seen by the aircraft in a backyard in the Parkland area.
“From the aircraft, the Washington State Patrol was able to lead our deputies to the suspect’s location, providing a very detailed description of the suspect’s clothing and where they were located,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Carly Cappetto said.
While deputies were en route, the suspect continued to shine the laser at the aircraft. When the deputies arrived, the suspect reportedly fled into a home.
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Woman allegedly tried to avoid arrest after WSP laser incident
She eventually came out and was taken into custody without incident. But not before spending more than 30 minutes allegedly trying to evade arrest by making reportedly false statements about having medical issues and other reasons why she couldn’t go to jail.
The Tacoma Fire Department arrived and determined the suspect didn’t have any of the issues that she reported. The suspect then made one last effort to evade arrest by collapsing.
The 31-year-old was taken to the hospital to rule out any medical issues. She was later cleared from the hospital and booked into the Pierce County Jail for felony unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
“It’s dangerous enough to warrant these felony charges. It can blind the pilot. It can cause damage. It can also disrupt the operation of the aircraft,” Cappetto said.
