An American Airlines passenger forced a Dallas-bound flight to land in a different city because of his “violent” and dangerous behavior, including repeated attempts to open the plane’s doors and his attack on a flight attendant, federal prosecutors said. .
The crew and passengers had to restrain Eric Nicholas Gapco’s hands and feet with flexible restraints until the Seattle flight landed in Salt Lake City on July 18, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
Gapco, 26, of Delanco, New Jersey, was arrested when the flight landed, according to prosecutors.
Gapco continued “to engage in violent and erratic behavior” at Salt Lake City International Airport, where it broke the glass door of a holding cell, court documents state.
He denied taking illegal drugs or prescription medications, but later told arresting officers that he ate “approximately ten edible marijuana items,” according to a motion for his arrest.
Gapco said it did not know how much THC, a psychoactive component of cannabis plantit was in every edible, the motion says.
Gapco was indicted on July 31 on charges of interfering with a flight crew and attempting to damage an aircraft, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
His federal public defender did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ Aug. 1 request for comment.
On the July 18 flight, prosecutors said Gapco wouldn’t stay seated, tried to take a flight attendant’s seat, “proposed a flight attendant for sex,” yelled loudly, vaped and interrupted others.
He also locked himself in a plane bathroom, tried to open the flight doors and is accused of trying to hand a bag of pills to another passenger, according to prosecutors.
Gapco “assaulted and subpoenaed a flight attendant and members of the aircraft’s crew,” prosecutors said.
American Airlines did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ Aug. 1 request for comment.
After Gapco broke a glass door at the Salt Lake City airport following his arrest, Gapco was taken to a hospital to be medically evaluated, according to prosecutors.
“He continued to be belligerent” and “combative with medical staff and police,” prosecutors wrote in the petition for his detention. “At one point he spat at an officer.”
Galco’s temporary arrest was granted on July 23, court records show.
He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on the afternoon of Aug. 1, prosecutors said.
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