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 assault on a flight attendant, federal prosecutors said. The flight crew and passengers had to restrain Eric Nicholas Gapco’s hands and feet with flexible restraints until the flight from Seattle 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 the Salt Lake City International Airport, where he smashed the glass door of a holding cell, court documents say. He denied consuming illegal drugs or prescription medication, but later told his arresting officers he ate “approximately ten marijuana edibles,” according to a motion for his detention.
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On the July 18 flight, prosecutors said Gapco wouldn’t stay in his seat, tried to take a flight attendant’s seat, “propositioned a flight attendant for sex,” was loud, yelling, vaping and disrupting others. He also locked himself in a plane bathroom, went on to try to open the flight’s doors and is accused of trying to hand another passenger a bag of pills, according to prosecutors. Gapco “assaulted and intimated a flight attendant and aircraft crew members,” prosecutors said.
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