An unruly passenger from New Jersey was arrested after he assaulted and tried to intimidate an American Airlines flight attendant and crew members on a flight last month, authorities said.
Eric N. Gapco, 26, tried to open the exterior doors to the plane aboard a flight from Seattle to Dallas on July 18, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah said Wednesday.
In addition, Gapco also failed to follow instructions to remain in his seat, propositioned a flight attendant for sex, yelled at other passengers, vaped and locked himself in the bathroom for a short time, prosecutors said.
The flight crew and other passengers eventually used flexible restraints to keep Gapco under control before he was taken into custody when the plane landed in Salt Lake City around 11 p.m. local time, authorities said.
Gapco, of Delanco, is charged by indictment with interference with a flight crew and attempted damage to an aircraft.
He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Salt Lake City on Thursday afternoon. Gapco’s federal public defender couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.