Torrey Phillips

A Fillmore man admitted Wednesday to shining a laser beam at the sheriff's helicopter. It happened in December 2011 as the copter was over Fillmore helping ground units look for a gunman in a shooting. 21-year-old Torrey Phillips pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of shooting at laser at an aircraft plus two special allegations. Phillips shined the laser at the helicopter twice. Following the second incident, the copter had to break off its search for the shooter and return to Camarillo Airport, but not before they got a fix on where the beam came from. Ground units arrested Phillips at his home in the 600 block of Fernglen Circle. Deputies say the pilot, crew chief, and paramedic on board the helicopter that night were all wearing night vision goggles. They say training a laser at an aircraft is dangerous in several ways, including disorienting or blinding the pilot, and, causing severe eye damage to the crew members, especially if they're wearing night vision goggles, as they were that night. Phillips is free on bail until his sentencing on May 16th.