Luis Antonio Victoria Dominguez faces federal charges after being arrested for attempting to gain access to a plane cockpit at Los Angeles International Airport and proceeding to jump out the emergency exit Friday.
Victoria Dominguez has been charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants, according to a Monday press release. If convicted, he will face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Victoria Dominguez was also allegedly under the influence of methamphetamine leading up to the incident, authorities said, according to The Associated Press.
After arriving to Los Angeles May 22 from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Victoria Dominguez bought $20 worth of crystal meth that night, he told the FBI, according to the AP. He proceeded to take it up until he attempted to catch a flight Thursday to Salt Lake City, Utah. He then missed that flight and a subsequent one on Friday. Victoria Dominguez was rescheduled to another flight and reported to authorities that he was feeling the drug wear off once he was seated, according to the outlet. (RELATED: No One To Work: American Airlines Forced To Cancel Hundreds Of Flights)
Victoria Dominguez told authorities that he heard passengers say the flight was not headed to where he thought. He proceeded to panic and ran to a flight attendant telling her he was unwell and needed to exit the plane.
LAX: Man jumps from plane after trying to access cockpit https://t.co/xxLMWLUBQU
— BBC North America (@BBCNorthAmerica) June 26, 2021
Victoria Dominguez then struggled with a flight attendant and started pounding on the cockpit doors. He ultimately opened the emergency exit hatch and jumped out. He suffered a broken leg and was arrested at the scene, according to the AP.
He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court this week.