Sarasota Police Officer Arrested For Pushing Flight Attendant

CLEARWATER, FL --The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office arrested an off-duty Sarasota Police officer Friday, Nov. 9, after he reportedly battered an Allegiant Airline employee at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.

According to the sheriff's office, at about 6:30 p.m. airport unit deputies were called to the Allegiant Airline terminal for a report of an intoxicated man who had been removed from Allegiant flight #834, flying to Greensboro, North Carolina.

When deputies arrived, they found an Allegiant Airline employees standing on the terminal ramp with 51-year-old Derrick Gilbert and his son 18-year-old Tai Gilbert.

Deputies say Gilbert's eyes were bloodshot and he smelled of alcohol. He was yelling profanities at Allegiant Airline employees and refused to move into the terminal, away from the aircraft.

Allegiant Airline employees told deputies that, while on the plane, Gilbert was so intoxicated he couldn't find his seat, had slurred speech, glassy eyes and looked confused.

Flight attendants explained to him that the airline has a zero tolerance for intoxicated passengers and determined and asked him to leave the plane. Gilbert reportedly refused to deplane at first but eventually they convinced him to get off.

However, witnesses say he pushed the Allegiant Airline employee, 25-year-old Kelby Oats of Largo, while exiting the plane and, when his son tried to convince him to cooperated, Gilbert grabbed him by the neck and pushed him.

Deputies told Gilbert that he had to leave the airport or he would be arrested for trespassing. He responded that he couldn't be arrested because he was a police officer with the Sarasota Police. So deputies arrested him and took him to the Pinellas County Jail.

Oats and Tai Gilbert were uninjured.

Allegiant Airlines staff said that there were 133 people waiting to take off to North Carolina when the incident occurred. Gilbert was charged with one count of trespassing, one count of battery and one count of domestic battery.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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