Co-pilot arrested at Michigan airport on suspicion of being drunk

Published August 26, 2016

A co-pilot on a charter plane in Michigan bound for Massachusetts was arrested Thursday after a colleague suspected that he was drunk.

Traverse City police Capt. Kevin Dunklow said the Talon Air co-pilot’s breath test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.30, nearly four times the legal threshold for drunken driving.

Talon Air praised its employee for discovering the suspect was drunk, according to the Detroit Free Press.

"We are very proud of Captain Manny Ramirez' immediate action in detecting the co-pilot's condition and removing him from his position," Talon Air said. "This is yet another example of Talon Air's safety procedures working effectively on behalf of our clients and for airport safety."

Talon Air said the co-pilot was “immediately terminated” following the incident. His name hasn’t been released.

The plane did not leave Cherry Capital Airport.

Separately, an American Airlines co-pilot accused of trying to fly while drunk pleaded no contest Wednesday at a Detroit-area court. He was placed on probation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/co-pilot-arrested-at-michigan-airport-on-suspicion-of-being-drunk