Man pleads guilty to trying to open exit door on flight, forces it to land at KCI
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court to trying to open the exit door on an American Airlines flight en route to Washington D.C. and forcing the plane to land at Kansas City International Airport.
Juan Remberto Rivas, 52, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court to one count of interfering with flight crew members and flight attendants.
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Rivas was a passenger aboard American Airlines flight 1775 traveling nonstop from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., which was diverted to KCI on Feb. 13, 2022, according to the Department of Justice.
By pleading guilty, Rivas admitted that he created a disturbance which knowingly intimidated a flight attendant of the aircraft. He went to the front of the plane and was arguing with the flight attendant.
Court documents say Rivas grabbed some plastic silverware and placed the plastic silverware in his shirt sleeve to appear to create a shank. He grabbed a small champagne bottle by the neck and attempted to break the bottle on the counter. Rivas then attempted to open an exit door by lifting the handle.
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Another flight attendant grabbed a coffee pot and hit Rivas with it. He was then restrained for the remainder of the flight.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
