Some say police helicopter caused issues after cruise in Pontiac - KMSP-TV

Two men claim an Oakland County Sheriff helicopter swooped down low enough Saturday night to have rocks and dust pelt people and cars near Woodward and Raeburn in Pontiac.

One of those men, Terry McIninch, said his son and daughter were hurt in the windstorm from the county's low flying bird.

"We were pinned down literally," he explained.  "If you're a father, you're sitting there watching your kid hit the ground and bounce off cars, and there [is nothing] you can do about it."

However, Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe said the chopper never came below 300 feet, and that it was sent to the area because it is a hot spot and the Dream Cruise ended at 9:00 p.m.  It was 10:40 p.m. when the chopper went up.

"We're doing a legitimate law enforcement function, and we have to do our job.  We have to disperse that crowd before somebody gets hurt or some shots are fired."

The Oakland County Sheriff's Department is sticking to their story basically saying there were two fights in that area and they wanted to get close enough to make sure that those fights were dispersed.

"Over a million people.  That's a hot spot.  Last year we had shots fired just south of there.  There was a big crowd.  There was a big fight.  That's one of the areas we've had some problems in the past."

One witness said the pressure from the air was a little much.

"I saw one young mother pushing a baby in a stroller down the sidewalk, and the baby was just screaming because it was being pelted with debris," he said.

More than a million people enjoyed the Dream Cruise from Royal Oak to Birmingham, but people we spoke with said the treatment will put the breaks on their plans in Pontiac.