Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts in Houston, Texas

June 18, 2007

ARIZONA MAN CHARGED WITH INTERFERING WITH A FLIGHT CREW

(HOUSTON) Brian Thomas Vande-Stouwe, 23, of Phoenix, Arizona, has been charged with felony interference with a flight crew and flight attendant prompting an emergency landing of the aircraft, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.

A federal criminal complaint was filed late Thursday, June 14, 2007, charging Vande-Stouwe as a result of an investigation conducted by the F.B.I - Bryan Resident office. According to the allegations in the complaint, on Wednesday, June 13, 2007, at approximately 7:30 p.m., as a Continental Express Jet flight from Dallas was nearing Houston’s Intercontinental Airport for landing, Vande-Stouwe, a passenger aboard the flight became verbally abusive and began yelling obscenities to the lone flight attendant aboard. Vande-Stouwe allegedly told the attendant he wanted to “get off the f—ing plane”, and then left his seat and tried to open the main exit door of the plane while the plane was still in the air. Another passenger intervened and stopped him. For several minutes thereafter, the complaint alleges Vande-Stouwe refused to take his seat after being ordered to do so repeatedly by the flight attendant, and remained abusive and disruptive even after he was reseated.

Once the pilot was notified of the events surrounding the disturbance and learned that it might be another 45 minutes before the plane could land at Houston’s airport, the pilot became concerned for the safety of the passengers, the crew, and the plane and made the decision to immediately divert the plane to College Station’s Easterwood Airport for landing and to have Vande-Shouwe removed from the flight.

Vande-Stouwe was taken into custody upon the plane’s landing in College Station. With the filing of the federal charges, Vande-Shouwe will be in federal custody pending an initial appearance in federal court in Houston expected to occur on Friday, June 15, 2007.

If indicted for intimidation of a flight crew member or flight attendant on an aircraft, which results in the interference of their duties on the aircraft, Vande-Stouwe could face a possible punishment of up to 20 years in federal prison, plus a criminal fine of up to $250,000 upon conviction.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Schultz.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until indicted by a federal grand jury and thereafter convicted through due process of law.

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