Aiming a laser pointer at any aircraft, let alone an Orange County sheriff's helicopter, is always a bad idea, as a 38-year-old Santa Ana man may be realizing Tuesday.

Gustavo Valencia Lopez was arrested and booked on suspicion of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft, a felony, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.

Orange County Sheriff's Air Support unit "Duke'' relayed to a dispatcher around 8:35 p.m. Monday that a man was pointing a laser at the chopper from Thornton Park in the 1800 block of West Segerstrom Avenue, police said.

"The suspect was in the playground area with his two kids and wife," according to a police statement.

"Duke guided officers into the location and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. A laser was found buried in the playground where Duke first spotted the suspect.''