A drunk passenger who was banned from boarding a flight led police on a chase through a Florida airport on a motorized suitcase.
According to police, Chelsea Alston was arrested after allegedly battering a police officer and causing $1,000 in damage to his patrol car during the April incident.
Court records and newly released video shows an Orlando police officer trying to catch Alston as she drove a scooter-like electric vehicle mounted to her luggage.
Alston was travelling from Orlando to New York in April when a Southwest Airlines gate agent refused to let her board because she appeared to be intoxicated.
Orlando police officer Andrew Mamone informed Alston that the airline suspected she was too intoxicated to fly due to her glassy eyes, inability to stand straight and the odor of alcohol coming from her body.
Video from the incident shows Alston cursing at the officer and waving her middle finger, before rolling away from the gate while sitting on the motorized suitcase.
When the officer caught up with Alston in the airport’s “people mover” tram, he ordered her to leave the secured area; but video from the officer’s body-worn camera shows Alston remained in the area for nearly 10 minutes.
After warning Alston that she could be arrested, Alston appeared to spit on Mamone.
The video shows Mamone and another officer placing Alston in handcuffs, but the Florida woman spit on the officer again, reportedly hitting him in the eye.
Officers escorted Alston to a patrol car outside where she ripped apart the police vehicle’s fabric headliner and defecated in the seat, causing an estimated $1,200 in damage.
If convicted, the 32-year-old faces up to five years in prison for each offense.
She was later released from the Orange County jail on a $13,500 bond.