Drunk Passenger Flirts, Kicks And Forces NYC Plane To Land: Feds

QUEENS, NY -- A drunk passenger prompted a New York City-bound JetBlue plane to make an emergency landing after she caressed the back of another flyer's head, hurled a water bottle across the aircraft and kicked a flight attendant, according to federal documents unsealed this week.

Robin Ducore, 30, was flying from the Dominican Republic to John F. Kennedy Airport on July 29 when she reportedly chugged four glasses of white wine in an hour and a half, according to the criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.

When flight attendants cut her off, the alleged drunk rampage began.

Ducore allegedly grew loud and began to curse before throwing a plastic glass across the aisle. She then started "flirtatiously" touching the back of a male passenger's head beside her until he became uncomfortable and was moved to a different seat, according to court documents.

This upset Ducore, who began cursing and verbally abusing flight attendants, the criminal complaint stated.

A doctor on the plane then offered to sit next to Ducore in an attempt to calm her down. That worked for around 5 minutes, during which time Ducore hugged the woman and cried about what appeared to be a family matter, court records say.

But the doctor abruptly returned to her seat and was heard saying, "I am not sitting next to that psychotic," when the hugs began getting so tight she feared Ducore might harm her. Ducore was heard yelling after her, "You leave like everyone does," according to court papers.

The doctor described Ducore as "acting like a caged animal," the complaint said.

At that point, flight attendants attempted to sober Ducore up by bringing her extra snacks and a water bottle, which she vehemently rejected and chucked across the plane while cursing loudly, documents say.

A flight attendant then put Ducore in "flexcuff" restraints. She broke out of them after around 5 minutes and proceeded to kick the flight attendant in his leg while calling him a "f---ing asshole," court papers say.

Fearing Ducore could be a threat to other passengers, the flight attendant decided to order an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to the documents.

Ducore passed out during the last 20 minutes of the flight, but by then the emergency landing of Flight 1528 was already underway, according to the criminal complaint.

JetBlue reported $36,126.25 in financial losses from the diversion, most of which came from the $150 vouchers the airline issued to each of the flight's 144 passengers, the complaint states.

Ducore was charged with interfering with flight crew members and attendants and faces up to 20 years if convicted.

She is expected to be arraigned in Eastern District of Virginia federal court on Feb. 16.

Lead photo by Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press