Woman Chokes Air Marshall

[Timebuilder]

MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 31) - A woman allegedly tried to choke a federal air marshal after she became disruptive on a flight from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis, authorities said.

The air marshal approached the woman, who was allegedly intoxicated, vocal and obnoxious aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 1057 on Tuesday, Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Jennifer Marty said.

After the woman continued to be disruptive, she tried to choke the marshal in a later exchange, Marty said. She also kicked the marshal in the groin and bit a law enforcement officer after she was escorted off the plane, Marty said.

The flight landed at 8:30 p.m. at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with the woman in handcuffs. She was led off the plane by police and placed in federal custody.

The extent of the marshal's injuries was unknown.


Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Patrick Hogan said he wasn't sure if the woman was served alcohol on the plane.

The woman could face federal charges of assault or interfering with a flight crew, he said.

(an AP story on the AOL welcome screen)


12/31/03 01:53 EST

 

[saabcaptain]

well at least this air marshall handled the situation as i would expect without drawing his weapon etc. which in other similar situations they were too quick to draw. this was a "contrallable" situation that didn't require even the implication of threat of deadly force.

 

[HAZ-MAT]

You can definatly tell the holidays are here!! My father is a Supervisor with Delta, and they had a Song flight leaving... well this 59 Year Old Lady was snorting coke in the ladies room on the baby changing station, then boarded the flight, well some of the pax told the flight attendants who proceeded to tell the captain, leading to having her escorted off the plane. She didnt see the big deal?!?!? WOW! You would think by 59 years old you would have your shyte straight... **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** hippies.

 

[mar]

The time has come!

I know this will be unpopular but I'm pretty much fed up.

The time has come to prohibit alcoholic beverages on board.

I say this knowing full well that it won't solve every problem but I'm also speaking as a pilot that has had to deal with his fair share of drunken passengers. One even attacked me while I was at the controls single-pilot. The other passengers literally beat him off while I struggled at the controls.

But, I suppose I don't have too much of a problem with the airport bar. Hell, I enjoy a drink every now and then when I'm travelling. But I'm seriously opposed to the people that get trashed in the airport and then board a flight and continue drinking.

I'm opposed to people on medication having a drink while already slightly hypoxic.

Being concerned for the general safety of the passengers I'm opposed to serving booze in-flight. After all, trying to evacuate a dark, smokey cabin that's strewn across a foggy runway would be quite the challenge for even the most sober and athletic passenger.

But then, I also think passengers should sit facing backwards like the flight attendants. I would also prohibit sandals and high heels.

So anyway, I guess I'll never be appointed FAA Administrator.

 

[Caveman]

First. The woman should be arrested and charged with a whole bunch of stuff.

Second. What in the world is the air marshall doing getting involved over just a drunk passenger? They should be laying low in case a legitimate terror threat appears. At best he/she showed bad judgement. At worst he/she left themselves and the rest of the flight vulnerable if the drunk was just a decoy to draw out any FAMs. Let the FA and crew deal with the drunks.

I also agree that we should remove alcohol from airports and airplanes. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone to wait a few hours to have a drink. Heck, it's illegal to drink on Greyhound but we let folks drink on airplanes. That doesn't make any sense.

 

[FL000]

What in the world is the air marshall doing getting involved over just a drunk passenger? They should be laying low in case a legitimate terror threat appears.

My thoughts exactly. This could be a strategy to expose air marshals while the "real" threat could be in another seat.

I don't agree with banning alcohol. We don't need another case of a bad apple spoiling the bunch. Most drinkers are responsible and can handle the task. No use in punishing them...er...us for the actions of one in a million.

I think many people would be LESS irritable with a drink in them. Too bad ASA pulled the mini bottles. Now all we have is warm beer and awful wine for our passengers.

 

[Timebuilder]

At worst he/she left themselves and the rest of the flight vulnerable if the drunk was just a decoy to draw out any FAMs. Let the FA and crew deal with the drunks.

It MAY just be possible that his identity as a LEO/FAM was not revealed to press or passengers until after the flight had deplaned at the destination.

Just a thought.

 

[avbug]

Clearly this incident shows that what is needed for greater security is replacing all current Federal Air Marshalls with intoxicated housewives.

We've already seen a high failure rate and attrition rate for FAM's in the FLETC program, and a high loss rate shortly after entrance into service. Pushing too many too fast, and bending qualification requirements has lead to a drastic reduction in the effectiveness and capability of the FAM.

Replacing the current crop of marshalls with inebriated housewives will increase the effectiveness and deterrence we are able to front in the so-called war on terror.

A terrorist may not get shot (who gives women guns?? Really). But that terrorist will have to go through the rest of his life with ligature marks on his neck, and painful groin injuries, and that's probably enough. Not to mention the shame of having been put down by a woman. No offense to women. I respect them greatly; nobody vacuums, scrubs, cleans, and gives a good foot rub like an intelligent, loyal woman. But think of the injury to the egos of the crimson jihadskis; young males who dream of nothing but blowing themselves up in order to have a free crack at seventy virgins (obviously a pipe dream, as virgins have been added to the endangered species list).

Staring down the barrel of a firearm is one thing. But staring down at the pointy toe of a woman's shoe is another, especially when it's aimed below decks and loaded for bear, and being run by a woman so intoxicated that her stop limits are the consistency of jello in heat. Hell hath no fury; even terrorists understand that.

Better yet, hire only intoxicated female air marshalls who have PMS. The muslim terrorist movement will retreat back into a wimpering shell and never return.

Add that to cockpit bears, and a clear soloution is available. Start saving those chicken guts and fish oil now. Help is just around the corner.

 

[350DRIVER]

I also agree that we should remove alcohol from airports and airplanes. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone to wait a few hours to have a drink. Heck, it's illegal to drink on Greyhound but we let folks drink on airplanes. That doesn't make any sense.

I do not think that you or I will see the day where this actually happens. The airlines are not going to completely remove a service that has been in place for years just due to a few bad apples that have abused this. It is the responsibility of the flight attendants to avoid serving alcohol to intoxicated pax. It would be just as easy to get alcohol in you prior to getting on the flight so this will solve very little. During my time at Delta I did not see one businessman sipping vodka in first class after a long day ever pose a threat to anyone or compromise the safety of the flight.

will not happen.


3 5 0

 

[bart]

Hey, isn't this what a 4 cell MagLite is for?

I bet a little flashlight shampoo would have straightened her right out.

 

[Timebuilder]

especially when it's aimed below decks and loaded for bear,

 

[jarhead]

More details......

Published December 31, 2003 PASS01



An intoxicated woman who allegedly attacked a federal air marshal on a Northwest Airlines flight from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis was charged Wednesday with assaulting a federal officer and interfering with a flight crew.

Dawn L. Sunday, 37, of Pittsburgh, was ordered held without bond pending a preliminary and detention hearing Monday before Chief Magistrate Judge Jonathan Lebedoff in Minneapolis.

According to the criminal complaint, the flight crew received a complaint that Sunday was intimidating passengers and making loud and rude comments. After she was moved to a vacant seat in the rear of the plane, she allegedly tried to barricade herself in the area and would not allow other passengers in or out of the restroom.

Federal Air Marshall Joseph Loftus said in an affidavit that he took a seat next to Sunday and tried to calm her down when she became more belligerent and threatened to kill him. Loftus said he arrested and handcuffed Sunday after she hit and tried to choke him. She later kicked Loftus in the groin, he said.

Sunday allegedly remained combative and tried to bite an airport police officer after Flight 1057 arrived at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and at one point had to be tackled and brought to the ground, the complaint says.

``This complaint should send a clear message that we have a zero tolerance approach to any conduct which disrupts the peace on board an aircraft, which places the safety of the flight crew and passengers at risk, or which otherwise compromises the safety of airline travel in this country,'' said U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger.

 

[jarhead]

Here is another web page where you can check out the photograph of the arrested woman. Man-o-man, she is one hot babe! (tic)

http://www.kare11.com/news/news-article.asp?NEWS_ID=57501

 

[Timebuilder]

I guess the difference between a pig and a fox is more than five kamikazies.....

 

[FL000]

I went to smokinggun.com to see if she'd made it there yet. She hasn't, but this woman has. Don't miss pages 2 and 3...trust me. With a little legwork, you can find her actual (unedited) website.

 

[JediNein]

Better yet, hire only intoxicated female air marshalls who have PMS. The muslim terrorist movement will retreat back into a wimpering shell and never return.

Billary Clinton toured IRAQ in a Sikorsky helicopter recently. I know of a few soliders that called the flight, "Broomstick One."

 

[avbug]

She really ought to be more careful. There's much less chance of being shot down there, than someone dropping a house on her. Wait until the media shows a closeup of her red and white striped socks curling up and slipping away beneath the house.

Either that or someone might just throw water on her. Being such an environmental believer, I know she'd feel better as she melted, knowing that it is distilled, recycled water.

 

[Chunk]

Speaking of www.thesmokinggun.com

Here's a dude you wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley (without a Sig 220 that is....)

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/dmilam1.html