
The aircraft was bound from Dallas‑Fort Worth to Newark when a 67‑year‑old Arizona passenger began swearing and shouting at the cabin, prompting flight attendants to pull him into a safety hold and, eventually, to secure him with duct tape and zip ties on the seat. The crew had no choice but to divert the flight to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where Maryland Transportation Authority Police took Lundeen into custody. NEWPAR Layne Lundeen pleaded not guilty in the Annapolis District Court on September 4, a day after his release on recognizance. He now faces charges of second‑degree assault and disorderly conduct, with a second hearing slated for October 19. NEWPAR Witnesses say Lundeen directed racial slurs at fellow passengers, including author and Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn, before becoming physically aggressive. Former law‑enforcement officer Juan Mejia and passenger Richard Olenick helped restrain him, and flight attendants testified that the seat‑tied passenger was a danger to everyone on board. NEWPAR FBI investigators are reviewing the incident while the Maryland Transportation Authority Police maintain custody of Lundeen. An arrest warrant for a second‑degree assault charge was issued, and a judge will soon decide on bail and pretrial motions. NEWPAR The photographs of Lundeen's duct‑taped restraint went viral, drawing national attention to the incident. Lundeen, a former real‑estate professional whose employment ended after the flight, remains a focal point of the case as the court prepares to resolve the legal questions surrounding the mid‑air disturbance.