Woman arrested at Albany Airport for assaulting an officer after delayed flight
Albany June 8 2021 After a woman was arrested at Albany Airport Friday for allegedly entering an un-authorized area, officials say the airline involved is partly to blame.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple says an Allegiant Airline flight was meant to depart from the airport Friday afternoon, but got held up because of a mechanical issue.
He says passengers got off, but were led to believe the flight would still be taking off. He says many of them waited at a bar in the airport and became drunk.
That’s when Sheriff Apple says 34-year-old Jamie Ecker entered the secure side of the airport without authorization, after going through a restricted access doorway near Allegiant’s ticket counter.
He says she was trying to get her luggage from the plane.
He also says Ecker assaulted one of his deputies while she was being taken into custody.
But Sheriff Apple says the airline bears some responsibility.
“Allegiant Air jeopardized the safety and security of that airport, one of my officers was hurt in the scruff, and I’m extremely upset about it,” he said. “We will be taking it up with Allegiant first thing Monday morning.”
Ecker is charged with criminal trespass, assault and resisting arrest.
