NORFOLK, Va. — A 47-year-old man has been charged after authorities say he assaulted passengers and crew members on a Breeze Airways flight from Norfolk to Los Angeles Wednesday, forcing it to divert to Grand Junction, Colo.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Friday that David Leroy Carver Jr., of Los Angeles, is charged by criminal complaint with interfering with flight crew members and attendants during the Aug. 13 flight.
According to the criminal complaint, Carver made inappropriate sexual comments and racial slurs toward a flight attendant. When a passenger told him to stop, Carver allegedly threatened to hit the passenger and spat chewing tobacco from his mouth into the passenger’s face.
Another passenger intervened and restrained Carver, allowing flight attendants to place him in zip tie restraints. During the struggle, Carver allegedly lunged at a flight attendant, injuring her hand. Authorities say he later broke free from the restraints, removed his belt, and wrapped it around his knuckles in a threatening manner before attendants separated him from the belt.
Grand Junction police said Carver had been drunk and agitated, yelled racial slurs at airline staff, and waved a skateboard. Police indicated that airline staff restrained him twice, but he broke free both times.
Carver was eventually restrained and removed from the plane. A passenger and a flight attendant were evaluated for minor injuries.
The plane later resumed its trip, arriving in Los Angeles around 10 p.m.
Carver made his initial appearance in federal court in Grand Junction on Aug. 14 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard T. Gurley.
The FBI and the Grand Junction Police Department are conducting an investigation.
