Florida Man Held In Threat Against AirTran Flight

December 11, 2007

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Apparent domestic disturbance.

Authorities in Florida have arrested a 42-year-old man in connection with a false threat against an AirTran Airways flight out of Orlando that was bound for Atlanta.

Dave Couvertier with the FBI office in Tampa, Florida, said today that Jerry James Williams of Auburndale, Florida, made a general threat to Orlando International Airport at 7:20 pm yesterday. He says what he calls the “veiled threat” was significant enough to cause an investigation.

Authorities arrested Williams last night, but Couvertier said today charges have not yet been determined.

The Orlando Police Department referred media calls to the FBI.

AirTran Vice President of Marketing Tad Hutcheson says Flight 856 from Orlando was about 20 minutes outside Atlanta when authorities alerted AirTran officials that a man had made a nonspecific threat against the flight.

He says the man using an airport courtesy phone claimed his wife was on board and made a threat against the flight.

Hutcheson says AirTran officials radioed the Boeing 717, which landed in a remote area at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Officers from the Atlanta Police Department, the FBI and the Transportation Security Administration went to the aircraft and searched it. Hutcheson says nothing suspicious was found.

The 98 passengers on the plane were taken by bus to Concourse E and rescreened. The woman whose name has NOT been released was questioned by authorities and allowed to fly to Philadelphia, where she lives.

She told authorities she is Williams’ ex-girlfriend.

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