Three days after a Tucson real estate agent was duct-taped to a first-class seat after reportedly becoming disruptive on an American Airlines flight bound for New Jersey, Long Realty announced on a social media post that they were cutting ties with him.
Layne Lundeen, a 67-year-old former member of the Long Realty Tanque Verde Trio, was arrested by Maryland Transportation Authority Police after the flight, which boarded in Dallas, landed prematurely.
Richard O'Lenick subdues an aggressive passenger aboard an American Airlines flight to Newark on Sept. 3.
Fellow passengers said Lundeen, who witnesses said appeared to be drunk, became unruly towards the end of the flight and started to hurl racial and homophobic slurs at passengers and crew members, TMZ reported.
In a response to questions about Lundeen's arrest, the FBI field office told The Arizona Republic in an email that a "disruptive passenger" was arrested Sept. 3 at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) in Maryland.
People are also reading…
Flight 618 was diverted to BWI by "a disruptive customer" who was deplaned with the help of law enforcement, according to an emailed response from American Airlines.
Lundeen was shouting and called a Black flight attendant the N-word and used an anti-gay slur, TMZ said their sources had told the outlet. He then hit the passenger beside him and struck that person's computer, according to TMZ.
Two passengers who were two rows ahead of Lundeen said they heard a disturbance and went to intervene once he started getting physical, ABC News reported.
Using zip ties and duct tape provided by flight attendants, the two men and one other passenger restrained the reportedly unruly real estate agent until the plane could safely land in Baltimore, according to TMZ.
After Lundeen was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, and removed by police, the flight continued to its original destination.
"The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," read a statement from American Airlines, according to the Republic.
Here, Long Realty on Sunday said it "ended its affiliation" with Lundeen, though the company did not specifically use his name.
"Long Realty is aware of reports concerning criminal charges filed against a former affiliated real estate agent arising from an incident that allegedly occurred during a commercial flight," Long Realty said in a Facebook post Sunday. "Upon learning of the incident, Long Realty promptly ended its affiliation with the individual. The individual is no longer associated with or authorized to represent Long Realty in any capacity."
Lundeen has been a licensed real estate broker in Arizona since 2001, according to the Arizona Department of Real Estate.
A LinkedIn profile that appeared to be Lundeen's and was visible Sept. 5 identified him as a realtor and listed Long Realty Company as his current employer. Lundeen had been at the company's Tucson and Tanque Verde office since 2013, according to the profile on the professional networking website, the Republic reported.
Lundeen was released on Sept. 4 on his own recognizance and with no bond. He has a trial set for Oct. 19, the Republic reported.
