Chicagoan restrains man who allegedly choked off-duty flight attendant, tried to open cockpit: VIDEO
ABC7 Chicago • • business
Key Points:
- A Frontier Airlines flight from San Juan to Chicago was diverted to Miami after passenger Juan Gabriel Reyes attempted to open an emergency exit and enter the cockpit, leading to a physical altercation with an off-duty flight attendant.
- Reyes became disruptive about 45 minutes into the flight, tried to urinate on the bathroom floor, and later choked the off-duty flight attendant when confronted, prompting passengers and crew to restrain him.
- The flight landed in Miami around 11:55 p.m. Sunday, where Reyes was arrested and handed over to the FBI; he faces charges including interference with flight crew and assault.
- Frontier Airlines resumed the flight to Chicago a few hours later, while the FAA reported a rise in unruly passenger incidents this year, with authorities increasingly pursuing legal action.
- A passenger on the flight, a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, helped restrain Reyes safely, highlighting the collaborative effort of passengers and crew during the incident.