Police use Taser on American Airlines passenger accused of touching woman inappropriately
DALLAS _ Police used a Taser on an American Airlines passenger who was accused of touching a woman on a Chicago-bound flight without her permission before the plane took off.
Miami-Dade police were called to the plane while it was still at the gate in Miami, after a manager reported that Jacob Garcia, 28, had touched another passenger, according to an arrest report.
Police told NBC News that Garcia had touched the female passenger inappropriately.
When the manager attempted to move Garcia to another seat, he began screaming insults at the passenger and her boyfriend, police said.
The Fort Worth-based airline said in a statement Sunday night that "the instigating passenger was asked by our Miami team members to deplane and he refused," so the flight crew began to get all passengers off the plane.
A flight attendant notified police that Garcia had been involved in a fight that had broken out while passengers were leaving the plane, so officers were called on board.
Police asked Garcia to leave the plane voluntarily, but he "refused to comply and began to cause a disturbance," the arrest report states.
Video of Garcia's arrest shows officers struggling to detain him while he asks repeatedly, "What is the reason you're removing me from this plane?"
A voice from behind the camera replies, "Well, you just assaulted a lady, for one."
_The Dallas Morning News
