Man on meth’s laser attack on helicopter leads to arrest

CENTERVILLE, Ga. — A night fishing trip early Sunday morning went south for two Warner Robins men in Bibb County, as they fled from law enforcement and were ultimately arrested in Centerville.

According to reports from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, A Georgia State Patrol helicopter was in the air around the area of Houston Road in Macon around 2 a.m. on Sept. 10.

Meanwhile, the two suspects were fishing at Gibson Lake; it was identified by troopers on the helicopter that one of them was using a laser pointer and targeting the aircraft.

The laser pointer interfered with law enforcement duties and hindered the helicopter’s flight pattern, leading to the pilot suddenly adjusting the path.

The GSP helicopter began to circle the area and located the two suspects. Once the suspects were located, they fled the scene in a 2011 Toyota Sienna.

After turning onto Houston Road, the driver, identified as Darrell Winn Jr., 38, aggressively passed another motorist on the bridge, while leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Bibb County, Peach County and Houston County, reaching speeds up to 100 mph.

GSP Troopers and Bibb County deputies caught up to Winn and the passenger, identified as Jimmy Borum, 29, arresting them both at the Peachtree Mobile Home Park in Centerville.

Winn told deputies he smoked crystal meth at the lake and admitted to pointing the laser at the helicopter, calling it “a dumb decision.”

Borum was unaware Winn was pointing the laser until the helicopter began circling them at the lake and told Winn they wouldn’t be able to outrun the helicopter. Borum told troopers he had a backpack at the arrest scene with a small amount of suspected methamphetamine found inside.

Winn was transported to Bibb County Law Enforcement Center, while Borum was transported to the Houston County Detention Facility.

HHJ News