Buster
Steven Slater, Back Before A JetBlue Passenger Drove Him Nuts
UPDATE: Criminal complaint filed against Slater
AUGUST 9--In one of the greatest airline meltdowns ever, a JetBlue flight attendant was arrested today after he allegedly activated the emergency-exit chute, slid down to the tarmac, and bolted from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The flight attendant, Steven Slater, was later arrested at his Queens home and charged with criminal trespass, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief. This felony/misdemeanor mix carries a maximum of seven years in prison, according to a spokesperson with the Queens district attorney's office.
The 39-year-old Slater’s bizarre departure from the Embraer 190 jet was apparently triggered after a dispute with a passenger who began removing his luggage from an overhead bin before the plane had arrived at the gate. The JetBlue flight had arrived from Pittsburgh at about 11:40 AM with about 100 passengers.
After the confrontation with the passenger escalated, Slater got on the plane’s public address system and began cursing. That’s when he allegedly activated the chute and exited the plane (presumably leaving behind shocked passengers and crew members).
Slater is seen above in a photo from his MySpace page. He is pictured holding his JetBlue crew ID card, which was scheduled to expire February 28, 2012. At least until this afternoon.
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