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On March 9, a passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Denver was repeatedly asked to put on a face mask. After ignoring the orders of a flight attendant, the individual allegedly hit his arm. Other passengers later revealed that the individual was standing and urinating in his seat. The incident has now entered the US court system as the 24-year-old faces charges of “Interfering with a flight crew in violation of Title 49, United States Code, Section 46504.” This charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and / or a fine of up to $ 250,000.
According to a statement released by the Colorado District Attorney’s Office, a man named Landon Perry Grier has been charged with interfering with a flight crew in violation of Title 49 of the United States Code, Section 46504.
Grier, a 24-year-old from Cañon City, Colorado, first appeared in federal court in Denver on March 11. It was there that he was informed of the charges against him and ordered his release under conditions of pre-trial supervision.
The incident begins with a mask conflict
During Alaska Airlines flight AS1474 from Seattle to Denver on March 9, it is alleged that Grier ignored eight to ten face mask requests, as required by airline policy.
The affidavit, written by an FBI special agent, states that the following took place after the requests:
“Grier was sitting by the window and seemed to be trying to sleep. Grier ignored [the flight attendant] then started pushing and spreading her hand as she tried to gently pat his shoulder to get his attention. He then hit her arm two to three times in an attempt to push her back aggressively. During this incident, his strikes resulted in actual physical contact with [the flight attendant]. “
The suspect gets up and urinates in his seat
Following this incident, passengers informed another flight attendant via the call button that Grier was urinating in his seat. A flight attendant responded, saw Grier urinating and asked him to sit down.
According to the affidavit, the flight attendant Observed passenger Grier sitting in his seat with his penis out of his pants, and she told him to put his penis back in his pants. He replied: ‘I have to pee.’ “
Grier was also reported to be urinating on a paper bag that a fellow traveler was carrying. Passengers seated near Grier have been relocated.
“[A flight attendant] stated that the actions of passenger Grier delayed preparing the aircraft cabin for landing for approximately ten minutes, endangering the safety of passengers, ” the affidavit goes on to say.
Meanwhile, the captain and first officer were grappling with an unrelated mechanical issue and preparing to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport. The affidavit states that the passenger disruption occurred in a high workload environment as the flight descended over the mountains in turbulent conditions. “The disruption caused the pilot crew to distract from their preparation for the emergency landing.”
A flight attendant then notified the captain. Flight tracking data shows the plane made a steady and safe landing in Denver with an on-time arrival.
The Colorado District Attorney’s Office says the investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with substantial assistance from the Denver Police Department.
Alaska Airlines offered the following statement to Simple Flying:
“The safety of our customers and our crew is our top priority. We will not tolerate any disruption on board our planes or at any of the airports we serve. We appreciate the efforts of our dedicated teams who are committed to ensuring safe and respectful travel every day. “
Up to 20 years in prison
According to the local FOX News branch in Denver, Grier told investigators he was returning to Colorado after working at a gold mine in Alaska. Before his flight from Alaska to Seattle, Grier said he drank a beer.
During his transfer to Seattle, Grier said he had three to four additional beers and “Some pictures” before boarding the plane to Denver. In addition, the man took an over-the-counter pain reliever because he was aching from work.
By affidavit, Grier’s defense is that he “Fell asleep on the plane and woke up to screams from flight attendants who told him he was peeing. He said he didn’t remember hitting the flight attendant and didn’t know if he was peeing.
As previously stated, Grier is charged with violating Title 49 of the United States Code, Section 46504. This charge bears the title of “Interference with flight crew and flight attendants ”and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and / or a fine of up to $ 250,000. According to the Cornell Legal Information Institute, the following text includes section 46504:
“A person on board an aircraft under the special aviation jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of duties member or attendant or diminishes the ability of the member or attendant to perform these functions, or attempts or conspiracies to perform such an act, will be fined under Title 18, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
The text also notes that if a dangerous weapon is used to assault or intimidate the member or the attendant, the individual will be imprisoned for a period of several years or for life, which would not apply in this situation.
If convicted, what do you think should be an appropriate sanction for Grier? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment.
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