Flight diverted after drunk passenger yelling racial slurs aggressively waved skateboard

By Lauran O'Toole, Senior Reporter

The plane diverted after an unruly passenger yelled racial slurs while waving a skateboard (Image: Grand Junction Police Department )

A Los Angeles bound flight was forced to divert after an unruly passenger yelled racial slurs while waving a skateboard, police said. The drunk passenger on board a Breeze Airways flight MX704  from Virginia “became agitated” four hours into his flight.

The flight landed in Grand Junction, Colorado, on Wednesday, August 13, at approximately 11.15am after a passenger was involved in an altercation with other passengers and flight attendants, the airline said. The Grand Junction Police Department said airline staff had placed the “intoxicated” passenger in restraints twice during the flight, but “he managed to break free both times”. When the flight touched down, police were called to assist with an “unruly passenger,” authorities said. 

The 'intoxicated' passenger was in restraints twice during the flight (Image: Getty)

David Leroy Carter, a 46-year-old Los Angeles resident, was taken into custody by Colorado police at the direction of the FBI and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility, the New York Post reports.

Police said: "Officers learned that an intoxicated male passenger became agitated, yelling racist slurs at airline staff while waving a skateboard.

"Airline staff placed the man in restraints twice, but he was able to break free both times. At no time did the suspect physically assault anyone, and no injuries were reported.

"Upon landing, the passenger was taken into custody by the Grand Junction Police Department at the direction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility."

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Colorado will announce the charges at an appropriate time, the agency said.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to police.

The flight was delayed in Grand Junction while a new crew was brought in to fly the remaining passengers to LAX, the airline said. The passengers arrived at their final destination around 7.15 p.m. local time.