Charges filed in hijacking scare on Seattle-bound flight
SEATTLE - A Hawaii man has been indicted for allegedly making a hoax call to the FBI in January claiming that a passenger on board an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle was a hijacker.
Military jets scrambled to escort the jetliner after the FBI received the call, and agents questioned a passenger on board the plane for nearly two hours after it landed at Sea-Tac Airport.
Once the FBI determined that the passenger was not an actual threat, agents went about tracking down the person who had made the hoax call and prompted the unfounded hijacking scare.
Ultimately, investigators identified a suspect, Timothy David Hershman, 58, of Kona, Hawaii. He was indicted Wednesday by a Honolulu federal grand jury on one count of filing false information and hoaxes.
If convicted, Hershman faces a possible maximum of five years in prison.
Two F-15 jets from the Oregon Air National Guard escorted Flight 819 from Hawaii to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a threat call was received Jan. 17 at the Honolulu FBI office claiming that a passenger on the plane was a hijacker.
Agents talked to the unidentified passenger for nearly two hours, said Ayn Dietrich of the Seattle FBI Office. She described him as cooperative.
Officers boarded the jet through rear stairs and removed the man from the plane, airline spokesman Paul McElroy said. The passenger had been seated at the back of the aircraft and "slept most of the flight," he added.
Court papers filed Wednesday did not explain how the FBI identified Hershman as the suspected hoax caller.
Military jets scrambled to escort the jetliner after the FBI received the call, and agents questioned a passenger on board the plane for nearly two hours after it landed at Sea-Tac Airport.
Once the FBI determined that the passenger was not an actual threat, agents went about tracking down the person who had made the hoax call and prompted the unfounded hijacking scare.
Ultimately, investigators identified a suspect, Timothy David Hershman, 58, of Kona, Hawaii. He was indicted Wednesday by a Honolulu federal grand jury on one count of filing false information and hoaxes.
If convicted, Hershman faces a possible maximum of five years in prison.
Two F-15 jets from the Oregon Air National Guard escorted Flight 819 from Hawaii to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a threat call was received Jan. 17 at the Honolulu FBI office claiming that a passenger on the plane was a hijacker.
Agents talked to the unidentified passenger for nearly two hours, said Ayn Dietrich of the Seattle FBI Office. She described him as cooperative.
Officers boarded the jet through rear stairs and removed the man from the plane, airline spokesman Paul McElroy said. The passenger had been seated at the back of the aircraft and "slept most of the flight," he added.
Court papers filed Wednesday did not explain how the FBI identified Hershman as the suspected hoax caller.
i thought it was going to be Ronaiah Tuiasosopo
Jilted ex-lover.
They should stick a baton up his A** and break it off for that. What a bunch of crap. I would be real pissed if I was the one who got grilled by the FBI.
For some reason, I just don't feel sorry for this man! Actually, I hope he gets the full five years to sit and think about his actions!
They should just charge him for what it cost to scramble those two jets.. figureing at least 4 hours of flight time each, it most likely will be one heck of a bill to pay..
Forget throwing him in jail.. it only costs the taxpayer more money.. and who did he actually hurt? No one.Â
The intent of the law, is to deter that bahavior.. I think a $200,000.00 bill would be adequate for that..
@Mr. H
The gas sucked down by those four motors during that one flight alone is enough to bankrupt most peopleâ¦.
I wish the story went into "why" he did it but I guess they aren't getting into that as it tips the hand on how the case will be handled.
@Howard Beale Yeah, how did they know each other?
I was really surprised when they said he was 58 years old--I might have thought some stupid 14 year old might do something like this--but a grown man? Of course, if you're that old and do stupid things like that, it indicates a much  bigger problem than just juvinile immaturity.
@chickysgirl "Oh, it's all right. I'm sure that we can handle this situation maturely, just like the responsible adults that we are. Isn't that right, Mr... Poopy Pants?"
- Lt. Frank Drebin
@relatively @chickysgirl I hear the defense is going with "I'm rubber and you're glue; everything you say bounces off me and sticks to you!" strategy.Â
@chickysgirl Although I know many 40 somethings that are way less mature than my 13 and 16 year old boys.
@aintno1special Actually my words didn't quite indicate what I meant. I did not mean disrespect to 14 year old kids, just that I can see a kid doing something like that without realizing the consequenses of their actions. A 58 year old should definitely know better.Â
Not only should this moron reimburse all of the cost to scramble the jets, he should also have to compensate the poor passenger who had no idea what was going on when he was escorted off of the flight, detained and questioned for 2 hours... can you imagine?
@B747-8i: I don't know about anyone else but if it had been me I would have been scare spitless just being forcibly removed from the plane. And after two hours of grilling by the FBI I would be screaming for a lawyer. These guys mean business and I want all the help I can get! Thankfully the agents realized that the guy was a victim and let him go, but the emotional trauma. Its going to take a while for him to recover. Talk about PTSD!
I say make this guy pay for the cost to scramble the jets; the fuel, maintenance, and pilot costs...as a start to a punishment. What an absolutely stupid "hoax"!