Flight to ‘moon’ grounds jet pilot

Published 10:06 pm Wednesday, October 1, 2008

ALCOA, Tenn. — A United Airlines pilot has been charged with public intoxication and indecent exposure after allegedly mooning motorists on Alcoa Highway.

A co-worker was charged with public intoxication.

Jeffrey Leon Saltis was arrested Friday night near El Sazons restaurant while walking down a grassy strip by Alcoa Highway, a major thoroughfare near McGhee Tyson Airport, about 10 miles outside Knoxville.

Alcoa Police officers Dustin Cook and Mike DeVore said they observed Saltis pull down his shorts and show his buttocks to the public.

When officers approached Saltis, he commented: “That was stupid.”

The manager of El Sazons said Saltis had become belligerent when they refused to serve him more alcoholic drinks and tried to start a physical confrontation, according to Cook’s report.

Saltis told officers he was a pilot for United Airlines, was from Pennsylvania and was going back to his hotel.

Cook noted he saw a man walking with a woman who was trying to take photographs of Saltis mooning traffic.

The man was identified as Michael Etzel, who said he was a colleague of Saltis. His occupation was not listed in the report. He was charged with public intoxication.

Saltis told officers he was supposed to pilot a flight Saturday and that his arrest would delay “50 people’s flight.”

Officers notified McGhee Tyson Airport Police and United Airlines of Saltis’ arrest.