One officer was bitten on the cheek while trying to arrest a man caught smoking on an Alaska Airlines flight Thursday. A second officer was also injured during the struggle, according to a statement from police.
The Juneau Police Department was contacted by Alaska Airlines personnel at 1:40 p.m. after crew members aboard Flight 64 from Anchorage discovered a man in an onboard bathroom smoking a cigarette. The plane was on the tarmac, and the passenger was asked to leave the plane.
When officers arrived, they found the man on the tarmac, according to a release from police. He refused to identify himself and ran across the tarmac, leading the two officers in a chase. The man fought back as two Juneau police officers attempted to take him into custody. The officers were able to subdue him after threatening to use a Taser, which officials said was not used.
The suspect was identified as 55-year-old David Cimino, of Idaho. He was treated for “several minor abrasions to his head” as a result of the fight, according to the statement from police. One of the arresting officers “received an injury to his right hand,” the statement continued, while the second officer was treated for an injured left wrist and a bite on her cheek. All three were transported to Bartlett Regional Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Following his release from the hospital, Cimino was charged with two counts of assaulting a peace officer, two counts of criminal mischief, and one count of resisting arrest, according to a statement from JPD. He was taken to the Lemon Creak Correctional Center and held on a $2,000 bail.
Alaska Airlines officials said the flight was only delayed roughly 13 minutes, and that the incident did not otherwise disrupt the flight or passengers.