Airline passenger arrested after high-flying scuffle

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 11:10 a.m.

A Minnesota man was charged with battery after allegedly punching another passenger aboard a flight into McCarran International Airport Thursday night, Metro Police said.

Leonard Holmer, 30, of Minnesota, was arrested, cited for battery and released after Champion Airlines Flight 505, which had taken off from Minneapolis, landed at McCarran.

The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m.

Police will forward a copy of the report to the FBI for consideration of federal charges.

Police said the man refused orders from the flight crew to sit down as the plane attempted to land. A passenger also asked the man to sit down and was struck, police said.

The incident forced the pilot to abort the landing attempt. The plane recircled the airport and landed on the second try, police said.

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