(Reuters) - A Hawaii man has
been charged with attempting to sexually assault a woman in the lavatory
of a Japan Airlines jet before he was subdued by crew and fellow
passengers who pulled the door from its hinges to reach him, a
prosecutor said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Saturday about two hours into a flight from
Hawaii to Japan, leading the pilot to turn the plane around and return
to Honolulu, where FBI agents arrested the man, Assistant U.S. Attorney
Larry Butrick said.
The defendant, Michael Tanouye, 29, of Hilo on Hawaii's Big Island,
made his initial court appearance on Tuesday and was ordered to remain
held without bond until a detention hearing that has been set for next
week, Butrick said.
No plea was entered to the charges: one count each of attempted
aggravated sexual assault and interference with a flight crew.
According to witness accounts outlined in court documents,
the restroom incident followed an outburst on the plane in which
Tanouye was heard yelling something incomprehensible, Butrick said.
Despite appearing calm when he stood up to walk around the
cabin, flight attendants agreed not to serve Tanouye alcohol after his
mother told them her son suffered from depression and was taking
medication, Butrick said, citing an FBI affidavit.
At some point, Tanouye forced his way into a restroom
occupied by a female passenger returning home to Japan from a vacation
in Hawaii. With Tanouye holding the lavatory door shut, flight
attendants and passengers managed to get inside and seize the suspect by
removing the door from its hinges, Butrick said.
He said it took three passengers to subdue the defendant,
who finally fell asleep after his mother gave him a dose of his
medication.
Tanouye's attorney was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Eric Beech)
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