American Airlines Flight Diverts to Tulsa After Man Allegedly Groped Female Passenger

An American Airlines plane was forced to land early this week, after a man allegedly groped female passenger.

According to the New York Daily News, the victim informed the crew about the assault during a Tuesday flight headed to Salt Lake City from Charlotte, North Carolina. A criminal complaint obtained by the outlet states the suspect—identified as James Clayton Cholewinski-Boy—was sitting next to the woman and her daughter when he began touching the mother’s arm. The woman told authorities she had pushed his hand away multiple times, but he refused to stop. At one point during the incident, the man allegedly grabbed the women’s crotch, prompting her to alert the crew members.

The woman and her daughter were moved away from Cholewinski-Boy, and the pilot made an emergency landing in Tusla, Oklahoma. According to the Daily News, the man was taken off the flight and arrested for public intoxication. U.S. Attorney Trent Shores, of the Northern District of Oklahoma, confirmed Friday that the man was subsequently charged with criminal sexual misconduct.

“This week, American flight 807, traveling from North Carolina to Utah, was diverted to Tulsa due to the alleged conduct of passenger James Clayton Cholewinski-Boy,” Shores said in a statement. “Today, the United States Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges as a result of Mr. Cholewinski-Boy’s alleged actions on the plane. The public should know these allegations pertain to criminal sexual misconduct by Mr. Cholewinski-Boy against a female passenger, not a threat to the plane or air travel. … The FBI will investigate this matter moving forward. I am thankful for the men and women of law enforcement who work to ensure the safety and security of the traveling public.”