Oct 15, 2008 6:34 pm US/Pacific
Air France Passenger Arrested For Punching Captain
Heir To French Luxury Fashion House Hermes Accused Of Grabbing Captain's Crotch On Paris-To-NYC Flight
NEW YORK (AP) ―
A passenger on a Paris-to-New York flight has been accused of trying to punch the captain and grabbing his crotch.
The FBI says Mathias Guerrand-Hermes has been released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond after appearing in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. He is charged with interfering with flight crew members.
Guerrand-Hermes' attorney didn't immediately respond to an after-hours telephone message.
The court complaint says the commotion Tuesday on Air France Flight 008 began when Guerrand-Hermes sat on a female passenger's armrest and ignored orders to sit down.
The crew handcuffed Guerrand-Hermes until the plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
News reports have identified Guerrand-Hermes as an heir to the French luxury fashion house Hermes. The company says he isn't involved in its management.
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