Hawaii man accused of attempted sex assault aboard jetliner

(Reuters) - A Hawaii man has been charged with attempting to sexually assault a woman in the lavatory of a Japan Airlines jet before he was subdued by crew and fellow passengers who pulled the door from its hinges to reach him, a prosecutor said on Wednesday. The incident occurred on Saturday about two hours into a flight from Hawaii to Japan, leading the pilot to turn the plane around and return to Honolulu, where FBI agents arrested the man, Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Butrick said. The defendant, Michael Tanouye, 29, of Hilo on Hawaii's Big Island, made his initial court appearance on Tuesday and was ordered to remain held without bond until a detention hearing that has been set for next week, Butrick said. No plea was entered to the charges: one count each of attempted aggravated sexual assault and interference with a flight crew. According to witness accounts outlined in court documents, the restroom incident followed an outburst on the plane in which Tanouye was heard yelling something incomprehensible, Butrick said. Despite appearing calm when he stood up to walk around the cabin, flight attendants agreed not to serve Tanouye alcohol after his mother told them her son suffered from depression and was taking medication, Butrick said, citing an FBI affidavit. At some point, Tanouye forced his way into a restroom occupied by a female passenger returning home to Japan from a vacation in Hawaii. With Tanouye holding the lavatory door shut, flight attendants and passengers managed to get inside and seize the suspect by removing the door from its hinges, Butrick said. He said it took three passengers to subdue the defendant, who finally fell asleep after his mother gave him a dose of his medication. Tanouye's attorney was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Eric Beech)