Jay man arrested for pointing laser

A Jay man who shined a laser toward a Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office cruiser traveling down Highway 4 around 3:30 a.m. is now facing a felony charge when the green beam caused the deputy to be unable to see the roadway.

Glenn Austin Bingham, 43, 4400 Highway 4, was arrested Saturday, Oct. 12, after an officer driving on Highway 4 near Commerce Street observed a green light pointing in his car's direction from down Highway 4 that made him unable to see the roadway and swerve to avoid it, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report.

The officer notified dispatch the location of the laser to be 4400 Highway 4, which is Bingham's residence, the report said. The officer had received several complaints from citizens over a two-month span of Bingham shining a green laser into vehicles passing on the roadway.

When the officer arrived at Bingham's residence, there was no one outside, but notified dispatch that the individual may have gone inside, the report noted.

The report said the officer heard someone running in a small field to the east of the residence and he announced his presence. He observed Bingham wearing white T-shirt and blue jeans running away from him toward a white Ford pickup truck and he gave a loud verbal command to stop.

According to the report, the officer made his way over to the vehicle and observed Bingham hiding under the rear. The officer gave verbal commands to come out from under the vehicle with his hands up so the officer could see them.

Bingham was taken into custody and when the officer searched him, a green XPRO V2 laser pointing device was located in his front left pocket, the report said.

When the officer spoke to Bingham after reading him his Miranda rights, the officer advised Bingham that he was temporarily blinded while operating his patrol car and Bingham made the statement, "I was just being dumb," and explained he did not want there to be a big ordeal in the front yard of his residence, the report said.

Bingham was arrested, charged with one count felony pointing a laser light at a driver or pilot and one count misdemeanor resisting arrest without violence and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail, where he was given a bond of $5,500.