Green lasers spark Coast Guard investigation

GRAND HAVEN — The U.S. Coast Guard is offering a reward for information about an incident involving a green laser in downstate Michigan.

The announcement comes after a Saturday evening incident in Grand Haven in which U.S. Coast Guard members aboard a boat spotted green lasers being pointed at the vessel. The crew said that the lights appeared to be coming from either the north or south pier but were quickly put out.

This event that was preceded by eight other similar occurrences over the last year on the western shore of Michigan, one of which purposely illuminated a search and rescue vessel. The crew was uninjured but the incident did leave the U.S. Coast Guard worried about the safety of their crew members.

Green lasers are dangerous to night operators and pose a threat that could lead to deaths in the event of a search and rescue mission.

If you have any information regarding any of the incidents, please call the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service at 216-902-6140 or the Ottawa County Dispatch at 1-800-249-0911.

[U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Lehmann]