KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A California man allegedly tried to force his way into the cockpit of an American Airlines plane and open an emergency hatch during a cross-country flight on Sunday afternoon, prompting airline staff and passengers to restrain him until the plane made an unscheduled landing at Kansas City International.
Juan Remberto Rivas, 50, of California, is charged with one felony count of interference with a flight attendant, prosecutors in the Western District of Missouri announced Monday. He was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 1775, a nonstop from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.
According to an affidavit written by an FBI agent, passengers and flight staff told authorities of a harrowing scene on the airplane where Rivas allegedly said he wanted to “bring down the plane.”
Several flight attendants reported to the FBI that Rivas had expressed paranoia about people following him and trying to harm his family during the flight. At one point he requested to be moved to first class because he was afraid of another passenger, a flight attendant said, but was instead moved to another row.
Rivas had attempted to dial 911, one witness told investigators, but was then informed by airplane staff that calls could not be completed during flight.
At one point during the flight, several passengers noticed Rivas had gone toward the front of the plane near the cockpit and a work area for the flight attendants. One thought he may have been intoxicated, though flight staff later reported that he had not been served any alcohol since the plane had taken off roughly two-and-a-half hours earlier.
Rivas allegedly grabbed plastic silverware from one of the service carts and began holding the utensil “like a shank.” Then he grabbed a small bottle of champagne and attempted to break it on a counter, according to the complaint. He then started to kick and push the service cart into flight attendants, prosecutors said.
During the scuffle, Rivas allegedly tried to open the door to the cockpit and said: “We’re going to bring down the plane.” He also attempted to pull open an emergency hatch, according to the complaint.
Another flight attendant walked toward the front of the plane with a coffee pot and struck Rivas twice in the head. Other passengers, including a Maryland cop, who told investigators he punched Rivas in the face, joined in the struggle.
Rivas was then restrained with handcuffs, zip ties and duct tape, the complaint says. He was taken into FBI custody after the plane’s unscheduled landing.
Under the felony charge, Rivas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
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(The Kansas City Star’s Luke Nozicka contributed to this report.)
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