Passengers on a Frontier Airlines flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Chicago O’Hare fought to restrain a 51-year-old man after he allegedly attempted to open an emergency door as the plane flew at 32,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, according to an arrest report.
Juan Gabriel Reyes of Pahokee, Florida, could face the threat of being imprisoned for up to 20 years after his unruly behavior resulted in Frontier flight F9-334 diverting to Miami International Airport on Sunday.
WATCH: Passengers restrain a man onboard a Frontier Airlines flight to Chicago's O'Hare on Sunday after he reportedly tried to open an emergency exit door in an attempt to jump off the plane mid-flight.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 2, 2026
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Frontier Airlines flight… pic.twitter.com/g3QBearixJ
The Airbus A321 aircraft departed San Juan more than three hours late on May 31 at around 9:37 pm for what should have been a routine four and half hour flight to Chicago but less than half way to its intended destination, the pilots were landing the plane in Miami so that Reyes could be handed over the law enforcment.
Reyes had allegedly been disruptive from the outset of the flight, urinating on the floor of the bathroom, grabbing another persons bag and, at one point, even trying to gain access to the cockpit.
Flight attendants ordered Reyes to return to his seat, but he refused their commands and then allegedly attempted to open one of the emergency exits.
Reyes was pulled away from the door and placed in a seat. In an attempt to deescalate the situation, an off-duty flight attendant volunteered to sit beside Reyes and monitor his behavior.
Not long after, Reyes allegedly assaulted the off-duty crew member, grabbing his head and attempting to choke him before passengers rushed to his aid and pulled him away.
Reyes was placed in flexicuff restraints, although he continued to struggle for some time, in harrowing footage caught on camera by one of his seatmates.
At this point, the pilots requested to divert the plane to Miami International Airport where sheriffs deputies were waiting to take Reyes into custody.
The aircraft ended up departing Miami at around 3:54 am on June 1 to complete the rest of the flight to Chicago.
Reyes has been charged with battery and remains in Miami-Dade jail on a $20,000 bond. This incident will likely warrant an FBI investigation and Reyes is likely to charged woith a federal crime of interference with crew members.
This offense carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment in a federal jail, plus a fine of up to $250,000.
