NJ Gun Range Owner and Retired Officer Subdue Violent Passenger on Newark-Bound Flight
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, What was supposed to be a routine flight home turned into a high-stress mid-air emergency for two New Jersey men returning from a gun expo in Reno, Nevada.
Richard O’Lenick, 53, of Sparta—owner of the Gun for Hire shooting range in Woodland Park—and his employee, Juan Mejia, a retired Weehawken police officer, were forced to take decisive action when a fellow traveler became violent thousands of feet in the air.
Mid-Air Threat Forces Emergency Action
About two hours into the second leg of their American Airlines journey from Dallas to Newark, 57-year-old Arthur Lundeen of Arizona began exhibiting violent behavior. According to O’Lenick, the unruly passenger looked him directly in the eye and claimed the aircraft was going to crash, escalating an already tense situation.
Recognizing the potential danger to crew members and fellow passengers, O’Lenick and Mejia stepped in to physically subdue Lundeen.
Flight Diverted After Passenger Zip-Tied and Duct-Taped
Working alongside cabin crew and other passengers, the duo managed to restrain Lundeen using zip-ties and duct tape. O’Lenick and Mejia held the passenger securely in his seat through an emergency landing after the flight was diverted to Baltimore.
“It was a pretty volatile situation for a while,” O’Lenick recalled. “Safety was definitely a concern, and not knowing where it was going and what the intent was.”
Upon landing in Baltimore, Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police took Lundeen into custody. He was subsequently charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault.
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Tags: In-Flight Incident American Airlines New Jersey News Gun For Hire Aviation Safety Crime News Woodland Park NJ Sparta NJ
Outstanding !
Let’s invite these guys to a council meeting.
Was the unruly passenger drunk?