The U.S. Secret Service has arrested a man in the nation’s capitol for allegedly pointing a laser at Marine One while President Donald Trump was on board, an incident the agency said could have resulted in a midair collision.
In an affidavit on Sept. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, a Secret Service agent said he encountered the suspect, identified as Jacob Samuel Winkler, in the early hours of Sept. 20 while patrolling the secure area near Constitution Avenue NW. At the time, Marine One was airborne, carrying the president southbound from the White House South Grounds and crossing over The Ellipse.
The agent reported seeing the suspect walking shirtless along the south sidewalk of Constitution Avenue, “talking to himself and being loud.” Because the area was poorly lit, the agent shone a flashlight on him. In apparent retaliation, Winkler allegedly pointed a red laser at the agent’s face, briefly disorienting him. As this occurred, Marine One flew low and directly above where the two stood.
“The rotor noise was loud, and the aircraft appeared large overhead,” the agent wrote. The agent said that as he approached, Winkler looked up, aimed the same red laser pointer toward Marine One, and activated the beam.
Doing so posed “a risk of flash blindness and pilot disorientation,” particularly during low-level flight near the Washington Monument, as well as other helicopters operated by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Park Police, the agent told the judge.
“This placed Marine One at risk of an airborne collision,” the agent said.
The agent confiscated the laser pointer and handcuffed the suspect, who then dropped to his knees and allegedly said, “I should apologize to Donald Trump,” and “I apologize to Donald Trump.” The man also had a small fixed-blade knife on him, according to the filing.
Winkler later told investigators that he “did not know he could not point the laser at Marine One,” and that he “points the laser at all kinds of things, such as stop signs.”
Online court records did not provide additional background information on Winkler, such as his age or hometown. An attorney representing him was not listed in the filings.
The U.S. Secret Service did not respond to a request for further information.
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