A high-profile New Jersey man has been arrested for trying to open a plane door and asking a flight attendant for sex after eating 10 edible marijuana products.
Eric Nicholas Gapco, 26, is facing federal charges for his disruptive behavior, which included yelling, singing at the top of his lungs, vaping, intimidating passengers and assaulting a flight attendant.
Video of the incident shows the New Jersey resident being dragged out of the bathroom after locking himself inside.
Mr. Gapco’s behavior was the result of an extreme high he experienced after using too much marijuana.
The ordeal forced the pilots of the American Airlines flight from Seattle to Dallas to make an emergency landing in Utah. Mr. Gapco was subsequently arrested at Salt Lake City International Airport, where he smashed a glass door.
Eric Gapco took off his clothes, started vaping, disturbed other passengers and propositioned a flight attendant for sex
As he was escorted from the plane, Gapco repeatedly shouted, “I’m healthy!”
American Airlines Flight 2101 took off from Seattle on the evening of July 18, but had not been in the air long before Mr. Gapco of Delanco, New Jersey, caused a stir.
Although he had taken the drugs before the flight, he said he did not know how much THC (the psychoactive chemical in marijuana) was in each edible.
Once on board, he refused to remain seated, propositioned a flight attendant for sex, smoked an e-cigarette and took off his clothes.
According to news reports, he gave a fellow passenger a bag of unknown pills and shouted, “I’m healthy!” as he was escorted off the plane.
Footage of the incident shows passengers trying to hold on to Mr Gapco themselves and flight attendants helping him out of the plane.
As he walked slowly down the aisle of the plane, he sang, “You say “po-tay-to”, I say “po-tah-to”.
While it’s unclear how many milligrams of THC Mr. Gapco consumed, some types of edibles contain up to 100 milligrams of the substance.
If you eat 10 of them, his THC consumption will be 1000mg. Even for a frequent cannabis user, this is a very high dose.
It is possible to overdose on THC, but it probably won’t kill you. Signs of an overdose include panic attacks, rapid heart rate, nausea and vomiting, delusions and hallucinations, and seizures.
At first he denied using illegal drugs, but later admitted to the arresting officers that he had used a significant amount.
Recreational cannabis use is legal in New Jersey and Washington, but not in Texas. Although cannabis is legal in about two dozen states, it remains illegal federally. Taking it across state lines is prohibited by federal law.
Additionally, marijuana is still listed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, along with cocaine and heroin, meaning that trying to smuggle it through the TSA could result in criminal charges.
He was charged with obstructing the crew and attempting to damage an aircraft under United States special aircraft jurisdiction.
American Airlines told McClatchy News: “The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority.
“We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.”
Prosecutors said he continued to display disruptive behavior as he exited the plane. In his motion for detention, prosecutors wrote that he was “combative toward medical personnel and police.” “At one point, he spat on an officer.”