A Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Dallas was diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico, after a passenger allegedly would not stop bothering the woman seated next to him.
According to a criminal complaint reported by Fox News and the Albuquerque Journal, a man named Justin, 29, is in federal custody facing a felony charge of interference with a flight crew and a misdemeanor assault charge. He has not been convicted, and we did not find a statement from him or his attorney.
The complaint alleges that on Flight 859 he put his arm on the leg of the woman next to him. She leaned away, but he allegedly moved closer and tried to play footsie with her. An FBI report says she asked him to stop kicking and bothering her, and that he asked her to go out with him after the flight and allegedly whispered a warning to her.
Southwest has open seating, and the woman moved to another seat. The complaint says he followed and offered her a drink. When a flight attendant checked on her, she was crying and said she was being harassed. The complaint says that after the flight attendant spoke to him he went “from zero to sixty in nano seconds,” and the attendant came to believe he might be under the influence. The pilot was notified and diverted the plane to Albuquerque, where he was arrested at the airport.
According to the complaint, he told investigators he and the woman had been watching videos on her computer and he thought she was flirting. The Dallas Morning News reported that he also allegedly told authorities about drug use in the days before the flight.
The felony carries up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, while the assault charge carries up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Those are the maximum penalties, not a sentence.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
