Unruly Passenger Disrupts LA-Bound Flight, Waving Skateboard and Making Racial Slurs

A passenger under the influence caused a major disturbance aboard a Breeze Airways flight heading to Los Angeles. The individual, identified as 46-year-old David Leroy Carter, reportedly became aggressive after about four hours into the flight from Norfolk, Virginia. During the chaos, he allegedly directed racial slurs at crew members, struggled to break free from restraints twice, and waved around a skateboard in an aggressive manner.

The crew had restrained Carter twice after his unruly behavior and profane outbursts, but he managed to escape both times during the flight. The incident escalated around 11:15 a.m., prompting the flight to be diverted to Grand Junction Airport in Colorado.

Footage from the incident shows a flight attendant attempting to restrain Carter with plastic zip ties, which he pushed past to confront her directly. A bystander then intervened, lifting Carter into his seat and telling him to “sit your ass down.” The man, significantly larger in stature and wearing a white T-shirt, carried Carter back into his seat with ease and scolded him for his conduct.

Upon landing, authorities arrested Carter, who was taken into custody at the Mesa County Detention Facility. No passengers or crew members sustained injuries during the unruly episode, though a crew member and a passenger were evaluated for minor injuries.

The FBI announced that charges related to the incident will be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado, though exact charges have not yet been disclosed. The airline stated that their priority is to support their crew and passengers, and to ensure everyone is safely taken to their final destination.