Police Chopper Lands Near I-5 After Warning Light Flashes
An Anaheim police helicopter made an emergency landing in a construction zone next to the Santa Ana Freeway on Saturday, tying up traffic for several miles. There were no injuries, officials said.
The helicopter’s two pilots had been assisting the California Highway Patrol in a high-speed pursuit about 4:30 p.m. when a warning light flashed on the helicopter’s console. The pilots requested permission to land immediately, near the southbound lanes of the freeway between Brookhurst and Euclid streets in Anaheim, police said.
Anaheim Police Sgt. Michael Gray said neither of the pilots was injured during the landing. The chopper was able to take off after a brief inspection. It was unclear what caused the warning light to activate, but Gray said the helicopter would undergo a thorough review at a nearby helicopter landing pad.
“There was some kind of mechanical problem,” Gray said. “But everybody’s fine.”
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