Las Vegas man arrested after disturbance on flight to Texas
LUBBOCK, Texas — Authorities say a man arrested after an emergency landing in Texas was talking about suicide and banging and kicking the cockpit door before other passengers restrained him.
Federal prosecutors charged 24-year-old Jerry Ba Nguyen of Las Vegas with interference with a flight crew. Nguyen remains in custody after a hearing Friday in Lubbock.
The American Airlines flight took off Thursday from Ontario, California, and was expected to land in Dallas before pilots made the emergency landing in Lubbock.
The FBI says crew members noticed the man walking toward the cockpit as the plane prepared to take off, but they were able to calm him down. During the flight, crew members say Nguyen’s behavior became more erratic.
If convicted, Nguyen faces up to 20 years in prison.
