HONOLULU — A federal grand jury has indicted a Hawaii man on charges he lied to authorities when he said a possible hijacker was aboard an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle.
Timothy David Hershman faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Last month the FBI said a caller reported a possible hijacker aboard a Jan. 17 flight from Kailua-Kona.
The call prompted the Oregon Air National Guard to scramble two F-15 jets to escort the flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Authorities took a passenger off the plane for questioning. They decided the call was a hoax after talking to him for nearly two hours.
A message left at a phone number listed for Hershman was not immediately returned.
The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court in Honolulu on Wednesday.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.