PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The government has agreed to drop a charge against a Salem, Ore., man who was accused of interfering with a jetliner crew by filling out a card that talked about crashing into the ocean.
The Oregonian newspaper reports that under an agreement signed Tuesday by a U.S. magistrate, the charge will be dropped if Joseph H. Johnson successfully completes a six-month diversion program. That includes writing an apology to Hawaiian Airlines and his fellow passengers.
The FBI says Johnson was flying from Portland to Maui on Jan. 6 when he handed a flight attendant a comment card that asked “what if the plane ripped apart in mid-flight.” The pilot became alarmed and returned the Boeing 767 to Portland. Johnson says the card was intended as a joke.
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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
