A 28-year-old man allegedly fondled a woman aboard a Chicago-bound American Airlines flight from Miami on Sunday night. Fortunately for everyone aboard, this occurred before takeoff, allowing Miami-Dade Police Department officers to board and arrest the man. Garcia, however, was less than cooperative, resisting arrest and even reaching for an officer’s pistol. This resulted in him being tased and removed from the plane before being charged with battery, depriving an officer of a firearm, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.
According to NBC News, the woman’s boyfriend immediately called the police when he realized what was happening. While Sergeant Lazaro Llerena confirmed this communication, crew members themselves were already attempting to remove the man from the plane before authorities even arrived.
“American began the process of deplaning the entire aircraft,” reads the American Airlines statement. “During that process, a physical altercation between the same two passengers took place. Once law enforcement was on the aircraft, the passenger then became combative with the officers from the Miami-Date Police Department.”
As you can see from the footage recorded by a fellow passenger—confirmed by American Airlines to capture the incident in question—Garcia is staring at the camera while asking, “What is the reason you are removing me from this plane?” He then begins resisting his arrest, which leads to the Taser making an appearance.
While the Taser doesn’t seem to function at first, it definitely subdues the man eventually. After having endured such an embattled period of time waiting to taxi away from the gate and then being removed from the plane entirely, the remaining passengers let out a collective cheer when Garcia was taken away by police on a motorized cart.
We all know how frustrating it can be to be delayed en route due to circumstances we can’t control. Fortunately for all of the peaceful passengers last night, the flight originally intended for a 9.30 p.m. ET departure was only stalled until 10.34 p.m. ET, “with all remaining passengers” safely on board. Meanwhile, Garcia was brought to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he was charged with battery, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and depriving an officer of a firearm.
