On November 2, 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia filed an information charging Amanda Robinson with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft and at the flight path of the same aircraft.
The Office of Inspector General at the Department of Transportation (DOT-OIG) reports that on June 4, 2020, Robinson attended a demonstration in Richmond, Virginia, and used a laser pointer to illuminate a law enforcement aircraft flying overhead. It is alleged that Robinson struck the aircraft with the laser multiple times, causing the pilots to experience temporary blindness.
DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richmond Police Department, and the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office.