A plane bound for Los Angeles International Airport from Virginia was diverted to an airport in Colorado Wednesday after an unruly passenger shouted racist slurs and waved a skateboard.
Breeze Airways Flight MX704 from Norfolk, Virginia to LAX landed in Grand Junction, Colorado after a passenger was involved in an altercation with other passengers and flight attendants, the airline said. Grand Junction Police said the intoxicated man shouted racist slurs at flight attendants and waved a skateboard.
The FBI identified the man as 46-year-old David Leroy Carter of Los Angeles. He was twice placed in restraints by airline employees, but broke free, police said. Carter was taken into Grand Junction police custody shortly after the flight landed in Colorado.
No major injuries were reported.
“The plane was met promptly by local law enforcement officers, who restrained and removed the passenger from the aircraft,” Breeze Airlines said in a statement. “One Flight Attendant and one Guest were evaluated for minor injuries. Our focus now is on taking care of our Crew and remaining Guests who have been unfairly inconvenienced by this unfortunate event and getting them safely to their final destination as quickly as possible.”
The FBI said charges will be provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado. It’s unclear what those charges may be.
There have been 1,007 unruly passenger reports so far in 2025, according to the FAA, a dramatic decrease from a record high of 5,973 in 2021. The number dropped to 2,455 in 2022; 2,076 in 2023; 2,102 last year.
