Man accused of disrupting Los Angeles-bound flight
Jun 9, 2012, 10:39 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Authorities were considering charges after a man allegedly became disruptive aboard a US Airways flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles, an FBI spokesman said Saturday.
The 29-year-old man was believed to have been intoxicated and was refused alcohol aboard Flight 705 on Friday night, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
The man, whose name wasn’t released, got out of his seat at one point, according to Eimiller, and was eventually restrained.
There’s no indication the incident was terrorism-related and there were no reports of any injuries.
Susan Roberts, a passenger aboard the plane, said the man rushed toward the cockpit door carrying a lighter and was intercepted by a female flight attendant. She added the attendant was aided by several passengers and the man was handcuffed for the remainder of the flight.
“He was yelling something like, `I have to get up there,'” Roberts said. “It was completely horrifying.”
Roberts’ boyfriend, Jeffrey Smith, said he saw the flight attendant stop the man in front of the cockpit and began pushing him toward the back of the plane. Smith said he and several passengers helped get the man in his seat within five minutes.
“He was resisting the entire time,” Smith said. “He was belligerent and yelling. The flight attendant showed great grace under pressure and truly knew what she was doing.”
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