A federal complaint was filed Thursday against a Vancouver man accused of interfering with a flight crew and attendants on a Delta Air Lines flight bound from Portland to Atlanta.
The incident occurred Wednesday after Bolutife Olusegun Olorunda, 29, boarded Delta Air Lines Flight 1156, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
During the flight, Olorunda acted erratically and was disruptive, and ignored directions from a flight attendant. The captain decided to divert the flight to Tulsa, Okla., International Airport, the news release states.
Two federal air marshals who were on the flight handled the situation until the aircraft landed. Tulsa International Airport Police then removed Olorunda from the aircraft and detained him, according to the news release.
Olorunda was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court in Tulsa with interfering with flight crew members and attendants. A complaint informs a defendant of an alleged federal crime, which must later be indicted by a grand jury.
He was arraigned Thursday afternoon by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case.
“It is the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office to enforce the laws of the United States. This includes federal laws prohibiting interference with flight crew members and attendants. We will seek to hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety of flight staff and passengers. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to promote security of air travel,” U.S. Attorney Trent Shores said in a written statement.
The incident was investigated by the FBI, Transportation Security Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa International Airport authorities.
