ROGERS -- A flight out of Dallas made an unscheduled stop in Northwest Arkansas late Tuesday, and police arrested a man on board in connection with smoking on the plane.
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport police arrested Aghasi Melikian, 32, of 10011 Yolanda Ave. in North Ridge, Calif., in connection with tobacco use on an airplane and possession of a controlled substance, according to Benton County Jail records.
Police were sent at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday to meet American Eagle Flight 3239, which had been diverted to the airport after a report of a passenger smoking on the plane, according to an airport police record.
The nightly flight is scheduled for an 8:10 p.m. take off from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and a 9:34 p.m. touch down in Springfield, Mo., according to flight records.
Officers had the flight crew instruct Melikian to leave the plane to prevent a scene, according to the record. Melikian was asking crew members if there was something they could do for him and holding a $20 bill when officers met the crew, according to the report.
Two passengers told airport police Melikian went to the lavatory during the flight and returned to his seat at the back of the plane smelling of tobacco smoke.
Smoking has been banned on all domestic and international flights in the United States since 2000, according to U.S. Department of Transportation rules.
The flight's captain requested Melikian be removed before the flight continued, according to the report.
Airport police arrested Melikian under Arkansas law that bans smoking in a motor vehicle with children younger than 14 present, according to the report. There were two children younger than 14 on the flight, according to the report.
One of the crew members gave officers a boot they said was behind Melikian's seat on the back row of the plane. Officers found cigarettes, two 10 milligram methadone pills and other unidentified pills in an eyeglass case inside the boot, according to the report. The man also appeared intoxicated, according to the report.
Deputies at the Benton County Jail found a kit to heat and smoke illicit substances or insert them into cigarettes, according to the report.
Melikian was arrested in connection with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibited use of tobacco in a motor vehicle where children under 14 are present.
Melikian was being held Wednesday in the Benton County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
NW News on 07/10/2015