A passenger named James Harold Jones was on a Delta flight bound for Atlanta from Portland on Sept 3. His increasingly erratic and unsettling behavior resulted in the pilot having to divert the plane to Salt Lake International Airport.
According to witnesses, Jones wouldn’t remain seated and ignored instructions issued by the crew. KSLTV reports, “he stated he was feeling unwell to flight attendants, and they provided him with ginger ale which settled him down briefly.”
It all went downhill from there.
Jones shoved napkins and towelettes into the vents over his head. He paced between rows, screaming that he was being poisoned and demanded to speak to the FBI and the pilot.
When the plane hit a rough spot, Jones continued to defy the crew’s orders for him to settle down. He climbed from seat to seat, starting in the exit row and all the way to the first-class cabin.
Finally, the crew and some passengers worked together to restrain him using flex cuffs in first class. KSLTV notes, “the captain diverted the flight to Salt Lake City because Jones frightened and intimidated the crew.”
When the plane arrived at the airport in Salt Lake City, Jones was arrested. He said he had no mental health issues, but officials noted he had signs of “methamphetamine intoxication.”
Jones admitted to having used the drug “in the past several days,” and that it negatively impacted his behavior.
KSLTV states “he was charged with interference with a flight crew.”
