A Florida man arrested for jumping from a Delta flight to LaGuardia Airport said he had a panic attack – and made the bold move only with his girlfriend and service dog because the crew refused to return and let him go.
“I have anxiety and depression,” Antonio Murdock told the Queens Criminal Court, where he was charged with reckless violation and endangerment on Tuesday.
“It was a panic attack,” Murdock said. “I asked them three or four times to let me go. They said I was stopping the plane and they never stopped the plane and I got to the point where I felt dizzy. “
“I didn’t even know there was a slot to lower the slide,” he said. “I just thought it was an ordinary door. I don’t know what I was thinking back then. I wasn’t committing a criminal act. “
Murdock, 31, and his 23-year-old girlfriend, Brianna Greco, were aboard Delta 462 en route to Atlanta around 11 a.m. when they opened the cabin door and jumped on the slide. inflatable emergency from Queens airport.
They took their Great Dane puppy, Rain, with them, authorities said.
Queens Assistant Attorney Robin Kwalbrun has demanded that Murdock be held on bail, citing previous criminal cases and $ 173,000 in damage to the stunted Airbus A321.
But legal aid lawyer Julian Oladiran demanded the release of his client without bail.
“I don’t see any harm or anything that would have been done to the stewardess, except for the statement that he made her want to get off the plane.”
Judge Toko Serita agreed to release Murdock without bail and issued a protection order to prevent him from contacting his flight attendant.
Asked about the plane’s damage, Murdock said he “has no idea about it.”
“I did not commit a crime. I have mental health problems, “he said. “People are wrong.”