Southwest Airlines flight diverted after intoxicated passenger assaults other travelers, police say
A Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas to Los Angeles changed its course for Tucson International Airport in Arizona on Tuesday evening after police were needed for an "onboard issue," an airline spokesperson said.
David Broseh, 51, was supposed to travel to Los Angeles. But after assaulting passengers on the plane because he was intoxicated, police said, he ended up in Tucson where he was met by airport police and escorted to Pima County jail, reports The Arizona Republic, which is part of the USA TODAY Network.
"Whenever there could potentially be an issue with a passenger disturbance on an aircraft, our police are always notified and called, and we have an on-staff 24/7 police department at the airport so they were called and they responded," said Jessie Butler, director of communications and external relations at the airport.
According to Butler, police responded to a call reporting a passenger that appeared to be intoxicated and assaulting passengers aboard the plane.
While the matter is still under investigation, Butler said that although Broseh appeared to be impaired, officials are unsure of what he was under the influence of.
A Southwest Airlines representative said that as a general policy, flight attendants do not serve alcohol to any customer who appears to be intoxicated.
"After some initial investigations and witness statements once they landed in Tucson, this individual was placed under arrest and booked into Pima County Jail," Butler said.
Broseh was booked on suspicion of two counts each of assault and disorderly conduct, according to officials.
According to Southwest Airlines, despite the interruption, the flight landed safely at Tucson International Airport and continued onward to LAX after the brief diversion.
"The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and we appreciate the patience of our customers during the event," a Southwest Airlines representative said.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Southwest Airlines flight diverted: Man assaulted flyers, police say
