An American Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Utah after a passenger allegedly engaged in fraudulent conduct, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah announced on Wednesday.
Eric Nicholas Gapko, 26, of Delanco, New Jersey, was arrested on July 18 after he allegedly attempted to inappropriately behave with a flight attendant and opened the door of the plane mid-flight. Gapko was aboard Flight 2101 from Seattle to Dallas when he began behaving erratically. according to to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah.
New Jersey man goes on a rampage on a plane, tries to have sex with a flight attendant, opens the plane door while screaming, “I'm sane!”: Feds https://t.co/f1Ey2qcP9J pic.twitter.com/lSA7j6labI
— New York Post (@nypost) August 1, 2024
“Gapko failed to comply with instructions to remain in his seat, solicited sexual advances from a flight attendant, repeatedly yelled, smoked an e-cigarette, disturbed other passengers, locked himself in the lavatory, and repeatedly attempted to open the exterior door during the flight,” the press release stated. “Gapko has been charged under the special aviation jurisdiction of the United States with obstruction of a flight crew and attempted damage to an aircraft.”
Video footage share KSLTV footage purportedly showed Gapko shirtless and yelling, “I'm sane,” as flight attendants tried to stop him near the plane's bathroom. Flight attendants then used hand and foot restraints to restrain Gapko, and the plane made an emergency landing in Salt Lake City around 11 a.m. Gapko was arrested at Salt Lake City International Airport and charged with obstructing a flight crew and attempting to damage an aircraft, KSLTV reported.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 10: An American Airlines plane takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC on July 10, 2023. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Another video shows Salt Lake City police officers on board trying to help Gapko off the plane, as Gapko protested, saying, “I have a blood clot in my leg. I need to go to the hospital. I need to go to the hospital!”, KSLTV reported. (Related article: Woman claims United Airlines flight attendant kicked her off plane after misidentifying her as gender; airline responds)
Gapco is scheduled to make its initial appearance on the federal charges in U.S. District Court in downtown Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 1. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, the case is being investigated by the FBI's Salt Lake City field office and the Salt Lake City Police Department.
