Boardman man pleads guilty for pointing laser at helicopter pilot

YOUNGSTOWN — A 34-year-old man charged with knowingly aiming a laser pointer beam at a medical helicopter during a Boardman landing has pleaded guilty as charged.

Travis D. Krzysztofiak, of Boardman, entered his plea today in Cleveland before U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko, who will sentence him at 2 p.m. May 6.

Krzysztofiak was indicted by a federal grand jury last July on a felony charge of pointing the laser at a helicopter as it approached Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, 6505 Market St., about 9:30 p.m. June 15, 2013.

The pilot told Boardman police someone on or near Sciota Avenue, which is two blocks north of the hospital grounds, deliberately shined a silver laser light into the aircraft’s cockpit.

Such lasers are dangerous because they disrupt pilots’ vision, which is what happened in this case, said David M. Toepfer, the Youngstown-based assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case.

The laser caused the pilot to change the helicopter’s approach path, but the craft eventually landed at the hospital that night, Toepfer added.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com