Wichita man’s outburst causes emergency landing of plane, officials say

A 24-year-old Wichita man caused the emergency landing of a plane after he yelled “help me” and then said “you’re coming with me” and forced a flight attendant to the ground, according to federal court documents.

Julius Jordan Priester was charged Wednesday with interference with flight crew members and attendants, which can carry up to 20 years in prison, the United States Attorney’s Office District of Connecticut said in a news release. American Airlines Flight 3359 left Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and was headed for Chicago.

Priester was removed from the plane by Connecticut State Police after the pilot turned back to Bradley International Airport amid the incident. Priester was then taken by ambulance to a hospital for evaluation before being arrested, the release says.

Roughly 30 minutes into the flight, Priester, who was seated several rows ahead of flight attendant at the back of plane, got up and “began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling ‘help me,’” an FBI agent wrote in the probable cause affidavit for Priester’s arrest.

He then grabbed the flight attendant by the shirt collar, shouted “you’re coming with me” and forced the flight attendant to the ground, the federal court document says.

Priester “then attempted to drag” the flight attendant up the aisle, the document says.

Passengers help put Priester back in a seat.

“While under the watch of one of the intervening passengers, Priester continued to act in an erratic manner, grabbing and holding onto the arm of the passenger and making incoherent statements,” the document says.