Former NFL player Gosder Cherilus was arrested after allegedly urinating on a passenger during a flight from Boston to Dublin. The incident, which forced the plane to return to Boston, led to charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew. Cherilus, who blamed his actions on a reaction to sleep medication, pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.
In a shocking incident aboard a Delta Air Lines flight, former NFL player Gosder Cherilus was arrested after allegedly urinating on an elderly passenger. The flight, which was bound for Dublin, had to return to Boston due to the disturbance. Cherilus, who is 40 years old and a resident of Wakefield, Massachusetts, faced multiple charges including disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and was released on bail.
The incident occurred on Delta Flight 154, which departed from Boston Logan International Airport. According to court documents, Cherilus, apparently dissatisfied with his seating arrangement, approached a 78-year-old woman from Maine and began to urinate on her. The act, which lasted approximately 20 seconds, caused extreme shock and fear among the passengers and crew. The flight was subsequently diverted back to Boston where law enforcement met the aircraft and arrested Cherilus.
Following the incident, Cherilus did not respond to reporters' questions but later issued a statement on social media. He attributed his behavior to an adverse reaction to a sleep medication he had taken in preparation for the flight, which had been delayed. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $2,500 bail. His legal representation has not made further comments on the case.
The behavior of Cherilus not only disrupted the flight but also left many passengers traumatized. Delta Air Lines issued a statement affirming their zero tolerance policy for unlawful behavior and apologized to the affected passengers. The airline cooperated fully with law enforcement to address the situation. Passengers were later accommodated on another flight to Dublin as the airline worked to mitigate the impact of the incident.
This incident highlights the serious consequences of disruptive behavior on flights. While Cherilus has apologized and attributed his actions to medication, the legal proceedings and the response from the public and the airline will determine the repercussions of his actions. The case also raises questions about the adequacy of existing policies on passenger behavior and airline handling of such disturbances.
"I took a sleeping medication that I don't normally use, which resulted in behavior that is not representative of my character, and I would like to apologize to the passengers and flight crew." - Gosder Cherilus