Southwest Airlines Co-Pilot Arrested http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=2 0060710&ID=5854503
All Associated Press News SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Minutes before a Southwest Airlines plane was to take off Sunday, the co-pilot was removed from the plane and arrested by the FBI on suspicion of being intoxicated. A Transportation Security Agency screener at Salt Lake City International Airport reported to supervisors that the man's breath smelled of alcohol when he went through a security screening line, FBI spokesman Patrick Kiernan said. Carl Fulton, 41, of Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested by FBI agents and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail just after noon for investigation of operating a common carrier while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a federal offense. The Boeing 737 was scheduled to depart Salt Lake City International Airport with 123 passengers at 8 a.m., traveling first to Phoenix and then to Albuquerque, N.M. It departed 15 minutes late, after the co-pilot was replaced. Police administered a breathalyzer test, but the results were not being released Sunday, Kiernan said. "The limit is a lot lower for operating an airplane," said Kiernan. "For operating a vehicle it's 0.08, for flying an airplane, it's 0.04." The U.S. attorney's office was expected to file charges on Monday, Kiernan said. The offense carries a penalty of up to 15 years in federal prison and fines. Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Paula Berg confirmed the arrest and said Southwest has launched an internal investigation. Fulton has worked for Southwest for two years. He is now on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, Berg said. She said he had no prior offenses. Gregory S. Williams [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
