A 61-year-old woman was taken into custody on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting at least one crew member of Alaska Airlines during a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, which resulted in an emergency landing at Boise Airport in Idaho.
Tracy Barkhimer, 61, residing in White Salmon, Washington, faces two misdemeanor battery charges, as stated by the Boise Police Department.
Reports indicate that during the flight, Barkhimer displayed “erratic behavior” and is said to have hit two airline staff members who were attempting to de-escalate the situation.
She was eventually restrained, and the aircraft diverted to Boise Airport.
Approximately at 1:30 a.m., law enforcement was alerted about the emergency landing and met with two crew members who chose to sign affidavits for a citizen’s arrest, according to police reports.
After a thorough investigation, Barkhimer was escorted off the plane without incident, taken into custody, and subsequently booked into the Ada County Jail, authorities stated.
Following a medical evaluation, Alaska Airlines confirmed that its crew was cleared for operation, and the flight resumed after a delay of about 90 minutes.
According to Alaska Airlines, only one attendant was assaulted; however, police reports indicate there were two victims involved in the incident.
Following the event, Barkhimer has been prohibited from flying with the airline in the future, as confirmed by a spokesperson.
“Safety is our highest priority at Alaska Airlines, and we do not accept any form of violence against our employees,” the airline stated. “We commend our crew for their professionalism and apologize for any distress or inconvenience this incident may have caused.”
