A 61-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly attacking at least one Alaska Airlines crew member on a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, prompting an emergency landing at Boise Airport in Idaho.
Tracy Barkhimer, 61, of White Salmon, Washington, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery, according to the Boise Police Department.
During the flight, police said Barkhimer was showing “erratic behavior” and allegedly struck two airline employees who were attempting to calm her down.
Barkhimer was restrained, and the flight was diverted to Boise Airport.
Just before 1:30 a.m., officers in the airport division were notified about the emergency landing and met with two victims who requested and signed affidavits for the citizen’s arrest, according to police.
Following an investigation, Barkhimer was removed from the plane without incident, taken into custody and booked into the Ada County Jail, officials said.
Following a medical evaluation, Alaska Airlines said its crew was cleared to fly, and the aircraft continued on after a 90-minute delay.
Alaska Airlines told Fox News Digital that only one of its flight attendants was assaulted, though police records indicate there were two victims.
Barkhimer was banned from flying on the airline in the future, a spokesperson said.
“At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees,” Alaska Airlines wrote in a statement. “We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism, and we apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation caused.
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