Former real-estate agent arrested after being restrained on American Airlines flight
A 67-year-old man identified as Arthur Layne Lundeen was detained and charged following a disruptive incident on a Dallas-Newark flight that led to his restraint with duct tape and zip ties and the termination of his affiliation with Long Realty.
American Airlines flight 618 from Dallas to Newark made an emergency landing in Baltimore on Sept. 3 after a passenger became disruptive, according to airline and law-enforcement reports. The man, identified as 67-year-old Arthur Layne Lundeen of Tucson, was restrained by crew members with duct tape and zip ties for about 15 minutes before the aircraft landed.
Two passengers, retired law-enforcement officer Juan Mejia and Richard Olenick, said Lundeen assaulted them during the incident; Mejia reported being attacked on the arm and Olenick said Lundeen used a racial slur toward a flight attendant. After landing, Baltimore authorities arrested Lundeen on charges of disorderly conduct and second-degree assault.
Long Realty, the real-estate firm with which Lundeen was previously affiliated, issued a statement confirming that it had ended its relationship with him following the incident and that he is no longer authorized to represent the company.
The incident was reported by multiple outlets, including local Arizona station KVOA-TV, which identified Lundeen, and was further covered by CBS News, ABC News and a NewsNation affiliate.