Police Taser American Airlines Passenger Who Inappropriately Touched Female Traveler
An American Airlines passenger was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly touched one passenger inappropriately and fought with another passenger before resisting arrest from several police officers who boarded the aircraft.
American Airlines Flight 2446 was preparing to depart from Miami (MIA) to Chicago (ORD) when the airline said a "disagreement occurred between two passengers." NBC News reports that one passenger began touching a female passenger inappropriately before the boyfriend of the female passenger alerted authorities about the incident. While the aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 (registration N906NN), was still at the gate flight attendants asked the "instigating passenger" to deplane.
When the passenger, identified as 28-year-old Jacob Garcia, refused, the crew followed American policy and began deplaning the entire aircraft. During the deplaning process, the same two passengers got into a second physical altercation.
Miami-Dade Police Department officers boarded the aircraft and attempted to arrest Garcia but he refused. Video taken from on board shows the man continuously asking why he was being removed from the plane. Police confirmed that a taser was used.
Garcia was later placed under arrest and charged with five counts, including battery, resisting arrest and depriving an officer of their means of protection. As of Monday morning, Garcia is being held on a $9,000 bond, pending his first hearing.
American Airlines said in a statement that it will cooperate with the Miami-Dade Police Department on the matter.
AA2446 was ultimately delayed about one hour following the incident, eventually taking off at 10:34pm ET.
