Flight attendant arrested for allegedly starting fire in airplane bathroom
A flight attendant who allegedly started a fire on board an airplane, then pretended to have discovered a fire and put it out, was in court on Wednesday facing federal charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Johnathan Tafoya-Montano for the incident on an American Airlines Flight 1418 on Feb. 1, which led to an emergency landing at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
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Tafoya-Montano made his first appearance in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
After intentionally setting fire to paper towels using a lighter, he put much of the fire out, then stood outside the bathroom for a few minutes, pretended to discover the fire, and fully extinguished smoldering remnants, according to court documents. There's no known motive yet.
Tafoya-Montano had been working for the airline for about a year and a half.
He is charged with "destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities," the U.S. code which penalizes anyone who "sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce."
If convicted, he could face fines or up to 20 years in prison.
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