A co-pilot was arrested Thursday morning at a Michigan airport after a breath test revealed his blood-alcohol content exceeded the legal limit several times over.
Sean Michael Fitzgerald was preparing to help fly a small Talon Air charter flight out of Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City when the pilot of the plane noticed he was “acting strangely” and asked authorities to investigate.
“He had the strong odor of intoxicants emanating from his person,” Traverse City police Capt. Kevin Dunklow told WWTV. “He had slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes.”
Authorities administered a breath test on the scene that clocked the co-pilot’s blood-alcohol level at just over .30 — four times the legal limit for operating an automobile, and 15-times the threshold for flying a plane.
Between 9 and 12 passengers were scheduled for the 8 a.m. charter flight, Michigan Live reported.
“I can honestly say in 15 years of law enforcement that this is the first time that I’m aware the city police had arrested somebody that was planning to pilot a plane,” Capt. Dunklow told WWTV.
Mr. Fitzgerald, 35, was arrested at the airport and taken to a local hospital to have his blood drawn for further testing. He was “immediately terminated,” the airline said, and arraigned Friday morning on a misdemeanor charge, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.
“We are very proud of Captain Manny Ramirez’s immediate action in detecting the co-pilot’s condition and removing him from his position. This is yet another example of Talon Air’s safety procedures working effectively on behalf of our clients and for airport safety,” Talon said in a statement.
Patrick Fragel, a defense attorney for the former co-pilot, declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press. His client is scheduled back in court on September 8, the AP reported.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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