LONDON — A United Airlines pilot was pulled from a plane and arrested shortly before takeoff after a co-worker suspected him of being drunk, police and air officials said Tuesday.
Scotland Yard said the 51-year-old was arrested after officers were called aboard United Airlines Flight 949, due to fly from London’s Heathrow Airport to Chicago, around noon on Monday. A spokesman for the police force said officers arrested the man “on suspicion of being aviation staff whilst exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit; i.e. he was suspected to be drunk,” the spokesman said.
A United Airlines spokeswoman said the flight was canceled and the plane’s 124 passengers were put on other flights. She declined to identify the pilot.
Mexico: A clash over culprits erupts
Four suspected kidnappers have been taken to safety after Mexican police clashed with angry residents of a town near the capital who demanded the men be handed over to them. A Mexico state police spokesman said people in the town of Cuijingo claim the men were caught trying to kidnap a local businessman. Police took the suspects to the town offices Tuesday, but hundreds of townspeople gathered and began tossing rocks and gasoline bombs at the building, demanding custody of the men.
Wisconsin: Muggers think twice after seeing victim’s military ID
A Milwaukee Army reservist says four muggers returned his belongings when they discovered his military identification. The 21-year-old college student says he was walking home from work about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday when he was pulled into an alley and told to lay face down with a gun to his neck. Four men took his wallet, $16, keys and cell phone. But the reservist said when one of the men saw an Army ID in the wallet, he told the others to return items. He also apologized and thanked the reservist for serving. A Milwaukee police spokeswoman said the story is credible.
Texas: 10-year sentence for polygamist on sexual assault charge
Jurors in the first criminal trial following the raid of a polygamist group’s Texas ranch have sentenced a member to 10 years in prison for sexual assault of a child. Raymond Jessop, 38, also was fined $8,000 Tuesday. His attorneys had sought probation for the conviction that could have brought him up to 20 years in prison.
Connecticut: Church ordered to release priest abuse papers
A Connecticut judge has ordered the release of thousands of documents connected to sexual abuse lawsuits involving Bridgeport’s Roman Catholic Diocese by Dec. 1. The files consist of more than 12,000 pages from lawsuits against six priests settled by the diocese in 2001. The U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to hear the diocese’s appeal of a state Supreme Court decision ordering release of the documents.
N.Y.: More white powder sent to U.N. missions
A fifth foreign mission to the United Nations has received an envelope with a suspicious white powder inside, police say. The mission to the United Kingdom reported receiving the envelope Tuesday. The German mission to the UN got a similar package earlier Tuesday. Three other envelopes arrived Monday at the missions of France, Austria and Uzbekistan. Tests showed the three envelopes sent to the French, Austrian and Uzbekistan missions contained flour, a police spokesman said.
From Herald news services
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