A real estate agent who was duct-taped to his seat aboard a New Jersey-bound American Airlines plane after he became combative mid-flight faces several charges in the bizarre meltdown, according to authorities.
Layne A. Lundeen, 67, of Tucson, Arizona, was restrained by several passengers and removed from the aircraft Thursday night at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Lundeen is charged with misdemeanors of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, according to records with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.
Richard O'Lenick of Sparta, one of the passengers who intervened, was returning from a business trip in Nevada with colleagues when the strange incident unfolded.
"I don't love flying; it's not one of my favorite things," said O'Lenick, who owns Gun For Hire, a firearm range in Woodland Park.
Witnesses said they saw Lundeen being served at least one drink. At one point during the flight, O'Lenick said, Lundeen made statements about Jesus and told him that the plane was going to crash.
"I just sort of tried to play it off like, 'Stop, we're going to be perfectly fine,'" O'Lenick said. "'As a matter of fact, you're going to meet a bunch of new friends when we get on the ground,' referring to the police."
Lundeen ultimately became physically aggressive, striking a pastor seated next to him and a woman who intervened, O'Lenick said. Lundeen also allegedly hurled a racial slur at a crew member.
The commotion prompted O'Lenick and his coworker, Juan Mejia, to try to calm him.
"We initially stopped the guy from hitting other people," O'Lenick said. "At that point, obviously the flight attendants start walking over."
As the situation escalated, flight attendants restrained him with yellow zip ties. The attendants also used duct tape to bind him to his seat, asking passengers to help wrap him.
At first, the passengers wrapped the tape around his body, but they added an extra layer around his head as he continued to try to bite people, O'Lenick said.
Mejia, a retired Weehawken police officer, instructed the passengers on how to use the tape, O'Lenick said.
"They (flight attendants) were okay with us doing what we were doing at that moment, and then I think once they understood that he wasn't settling down, even with us there, that's when they proceeded to go to the next level of restraint," O'Lenick said.
Efforts to reach Lundeen for comment were unsuccessful. Records did not list his attorney.
Lundeen, who has worked in real estate since 1997, was fired from his position with the Long Realty Company in Tucson on Saturday, according to records with the Arizona Department of Real Estate.
"The conduct described in the reports is wholly inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion and respect for others that Long Realty expects from those affiliated with the company," the firm said in a statement. "We expect those associated with our company to uphold those values, and we have no tolerance for conduct that so clearly falls short of those expectations."
The flight was traveling from Dallas to Newark Liberty International Airport. In a statement to NJ.com, American Airlines said police assisted the flight crew in removing the man.
"The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we do not tolerate violence," the carrier said.
About 20 minutes after Lundeen was bound with tape, the plane landed in Maryland, taxiing to an airport gate for police to come aboard, remove him and speak to witnesses, O'Lenick said. The plane took off for Newark after spending about two hours on the tarmac.
"I'm glad I was able to help," O'Lenick said.
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.