Chicago-bound flight diverted to Miami when passenger tries to open door mid-flight

1 hour ago 6

A erstwhile nonrecreational MMA combatant from Chicago came to the rescue erstwhile an unruly rider tried to unfastened a Frontier Airlines doorway mid-flight connected Sunday portion the level was headed to O'Hare International Airport.

In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said Frontier Airlines Flight 3345 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to O'Hare was diverted to Miami owed to a "passenger disturbance" reported by the crew.

In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said Frontier Airlines Flight 3345 was successful the aerial en way from San Juan to Chicago erstwhile determination was a "passenger disturbance" reported by the crew.

The FAA said the formation landed safely astatine Miami International Airport astir 11:55 p.m. ET.

When the level landed, Miami-Dade Sheriff's constabulary arrested 51-year-old Juan Reyes, who is accused of trying to choke a passenger, trying to unfastened an exit doorway connected the plane, and trying to interruption into the cockpit.

"Law enforcement boarded the craft successful Miami and removed the rider and the formation subsequently continued connected to Chicago a fewer hours later," Frontier Airlines said successful a statement.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said formation attendants and different passengers connected the level told them Reyes tried to unfastened the exit doors portion successful flight, saying helium wanted to get disconnected the plane. Flight attendants tried to halt him and told him to beryllium down, but helium ignored them and alternatively went to the beforehand of the plane, wherever constabulary said helium tried to get into the pilot's cabin.

Flight attendants tried aggregate times to get him backmost to his seat, past took him to a antithetic seat, and an off-duty formation attendant volunteered to beryllium successful his enactment connected the aisle, constabulary said. When the off-duty attendant got up to usage the bathroom, constabulary said Reyes tried to drawback his bag. When helium was told not to interaction the off-duty attendant's belongings, constabulary said they were told Reyes past attacked the off-duty formation attendant, trying to choke him, arsenic different passengers restrained him.

Josh Longood, a erstwhile MMA combatant from Chicago, helped restrain Reyes until the level landed.

"I was conscionable thankful that I was successful the enactment successful beforehand of him, due to the fact that arsenic helium was, like, freaking out, I was thinking, I was like, 'Man, I'm truthful gladsome I'm, like, present and not, like, up mode distant from him and aggregate rows away," Longood said.

Reyes was arrested erstwhile the level landed successful Miami.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has charged him with 1 misdemeanor number of battery. The FBI besides is investigating.

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