The authorities are currently investigating a situation where a man, identified as Wicliff Fleurizard, 26, from George, Texas, was removed from a Delta Air Lines flight at Salt Lake City International Airport on Sunday morning.
According to a filed criminal complaint, Fleurizard was taken into custody after being removed from Flight 1683, scheduled to depart for Austin.
The complaint states that although Fleurizard had a boarding pass to pass through security, it was not for the flight he ultimately boarded.
Reportedly, Fleurizard explained to the police that he was originally in Utah for a snowboarding trip in Park City but needed to return home to see family members who had arrived from Florida. He mentioned receiving a complimentary "buddy pass" for Southwest Airlines from a friend, which he used to clear security. However, as the intended Southwest flight was full, he proceeded to the Delta gate.
The complaint says he was seen on security camera video using his phone to take pictures of other people's boarding passes without their knowledge and it appears he used one of those pictures to board the Delta plane, where he tried to stowaway in first the front and then the rear lavatory. But when he left that lavatory, there were no seats left and, as the plane was taxiing, flight attendants realized there was an issue and the plane returned to the gate.
According to the complaint, "Fleuizard admitted he had made a mistake and was only trying get home."
Salt Lake City Police tell CBS News officers were called to a gate in the A Concourse by the airline around 10:30 a.m. local time following an "on-board incident involving Mr. Fleurizard while the aircraft was preparing to depart."
In a statement, Delta says the airline "is cooperating with law enforcement and relevant federal agencies regarding an investigation into a non-ticketed individual being escorted off an aircraft in Salt Lake City prior to a scheduled departure. We defer any additional questions to law enforcement."
The Transportation Security Administration says in a statement that the suspect "was screened without incident at the security checkpoint … using a photo ID that matched the name on the boarding pass."
"The passenger had a boarding pass. We don't confirm flight details of individual travelers," a TSA spokesperson said.
But Delta tells CBS News he "did not have a ticket for DL1683, operating SLC-AUS on March 17."
Police say the suspect is being held on a federal detainer at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail. Records indicate he remains behind bars.
Flight 1683 departed about half-hour late.
The FBI declined further comment.
Reports have surfaced about an incident last month where a woman managed to board an American Airlines flight from Nashville to Los Angeles without a boarding pass. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed that the woman was able to bypass the ID-boarding pass screening, although she did go through the magnetometers and bags check.
The woman was apprehended by FBI agents upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on February 7.
