A passenger flying Spirit Airlines out of Orlando wound up facing an attempted murder charge after putting a police officer in a chokehold on Tuesday.
A group of people at Spirit’s ticket counter were yelling at the airline’s check-in counter staff, and even went behind the desk – grabbing the computer keyboard and typing away.
Police responded, an officer tried to grab passenger Edward Hariston at the computer terminal, and a fight started.
Investigators said Hariston was reportedly arguing with an employee when he reached behind the ticket counter, grabbed the computer keyboard, and began hitting buttons. That’s when a police officer tried to stop him and a fight started, according to an arrest report.
The officer said he grabbed Hariston’s arm to prevent him from damaging the property, and in response, Hariston grabbed the officer’s arm. The officer said he pushed Hariston to “create distance” and Hariston then grabbed the officer’s hands, lowered his body, and began pushing the officer backward.
“We both fell onto the ground and Hariston put one of his arms around my neck in a chokehold and began to squeeze, restricting my airway, making it unable for me to breathe,” the police officer wrote in the arrest report. “I began to get dizzy and immediately spotty, as my airflow was restricted, and I was beginning to lose consciousness.”
The officer broke free, other police arrived, and the 41 year old Ohio man was arrested. He’s been charged with “attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and disorderly conduct.”
It was wrong to take out frustrations over flight issues with staff, and to go over the counter. Engaging in a physical altercation with responding officers never ends well. However this seems like a massive overcharge.
It’s highly unlikely that the enraged passenger had fully formed an intent to kill the officer. In the officer’s telling the man attempted to cause serious bodily injury that could create substantial risk of death. This seems at most like aggravated assault. It would be interesting to test a theory that flying Spirit causes – and is even evidence of – temporary insanity?
Americans continue to show the world how fast you can achieve 3rd world status. Raise airfares. The “average” person shouldn’t be anywhere near an airport. Rabid dogs act better, the disease controls their actions. Americans actually choose the behavior.
The passenger is not guilty by reason of insanity. Anyone who flies Spirit must be insane.
Seriously, police fights man who bangs on keyboard? In major cities, police turn a blind eye to crime and won’t even respond to a call if it’s not murder. Instead, it tells people to file a report online if they need something for an insurance claim.
Florida being the last free state in the country, doesn’t put up with that kind of crap. Putting a police officer in a choke hold might fly in Austin, but try that anywhere in Florida, if you survive, you’re going to prison.
Put him in the chair and flip the switch.
Good to read that “a group of people at a Florida Spirit’s ticket counter were yelling at the airline’s check-in counter staff, and even went behind the desk – grabbing the computer keyboard and typing away.”
When a group of people at an Orlando Spirit’s ticket counter take the initiative to grab a computer keyboard and type away, these could be the next qualified candidates to be future Spirit Airlines gate agents. The Spirit Airlines Human Resources department should offer fast-track employment applications to these individuals before Frontier Airlines snatches them up.
After all, these passengers know how to yell, demonstrate they would fight with random people at a Spirit Airlines gate, and have exhibited keyboarding skills that should meet and exceed the qualifications required for a successful Orlando Spirit Airlines gate agent career.
@Kevin…the “last free state in the country” huh?
Unless….1) you’re a woman who might want to decide what to do with her own body 2) someone who wants to read a book that the State of Florida has decided to ban 3) a transgender person wanting to participate in sport, 4) someone who doesn’t want to get shot just because some lunatic claims to have felt threatened.
Florida is a dumpster fire. Add Spirit’s wonderful experience and voila…the above video.
@ Tom K — Well said! At least Kevin is free to be a jerk in Florida.
But I thought the narrative is that the police just show up and immediately execute black people? What happened? How many times have I heard over the past few years: “If he was white the police wouldn’t have shot him”? This isn’t “mental illness” either (the other favorite excuse). This is called being a life-long a**hole. He’s going to jail to be separated from the civil people in this society.
Gary:. The fact that the Ohio man applied a chokehold and held it long enough for the officer to start to blackout is sufficient for a jury to find specific intent to murder and to infer premeditation.
What the ultimate conviction is will be a matter of the plea negotiation. But the guy will get his free room – and many more. All of the charged offenses other than disorderly conduct are felonies.
@Kevin. Are you kidding me? Name one book that Florida has banned from adults to read. You can’t because there isn’t any! You compare Florida to Seattle. You guys have turned what once a wonderful city into a Marxist shit hole. I will go to Florida anyday over Seattle just not on Spirit airlines.
These trash passengers should be executed right at the airport. This type of trash offers no benefits to society, and such poor behavior should never be tolerated.
Sadly he’ll never do a day of time even in FL. Somehow he”ll be found mentally ill as a result of growing up in under served neighborhoods which absolves all. Now if the tables were turned, it would be a capital murder trial.
I was assumed by the one guy with the backpack who calmly walked away hoping this wasn’t going to delay his flight while 3 other clowns ran into position to film, getting in the way of police. Gotta love how we respond like sheep these days…
You touch a cop you go to jail, and if you get your ass kicked in the process, so be it. You have credibility, you have a large readership, be accurate… Read Florida State Statute 784.021 before you start throwing legalese into your writings.
@Tom K from Seattle
1) I have a non effective experimental medical treatment i will force you to take or you will lose your job and be locked into your home. sound FAMILAR?
2) why do you want children to be able to read graphic sex books? ARE YOU A PERVERT?
3) why do you hate women’s sports? why cant they have their own sports leagues with out worry about failed male athletes dominating the sport?
4) if you dont want to get shot dont attack someone
@retired lawyer – it’s an overcharge that’s being done because the guy is a cop, i don’t doubt that the perpetrator could be convicted of this, but the charge to should an ag assault. i would want to see what expert witnesses actually have to say about whether the officer likely did, in fact, start to black out as well.
Welcome to today’s episode of #PassengerLivesMatter #PLM
@Tom K from Seattle …you stay in your Paradise (sarcasm font)…I’ll stay in my “dumpster fire”…there, we’re both happy. Live and let live…
“It would be interesting to test a theory that flying Spirit causes – and is even evidence of – temporary insanity?”
There’s nothing temporary about the insanity of flying Spirit…
For everyone commenting metal illness or insanity lol. My dad did testify to these in state court and would explain “none of that matters at ALL, all that matters is you know RIGHT from WRONG.” So someone having a schizophrenic episode and not knowing his current reality would qualify. Just about everything else wouldn’t. Just in case anyone wanted to learn something today… I found that info enlightening considering I totally misunderstood how that worked.
Spirit, frontier, Florida.
All pieces of shit.
Don’t worry, I don’t plan on flying them or to the most oppressive state of them all.
Jojo…you can just cozy up to your Trump doll. I am sure you will feel so much better.
I work for an airline….not spirit…it’s ridiculous for any passenger or any agent for that matter to be in each other’s personal space and doing all this. Fighting for a cancelled or delayed flight or whatever….no!! Keep your hands to yourself. And please remember people..your charges will be federal and your fines will be great. It’s not worth it over something that’s out of both parties control. He’s needs to go to jail and should be banned from any air travel on any airline. A universal list is needed and should be adhered to
https://nypost.com/2023/06/30/ohio-man-edward-hariston-charged-with-attempted-murder-for-putting-cop-in-chokehold-at-florida-airport/
yep, thats what I suspected.
@Monique BRAVO !!!
This unruly Ohio man definitely should be on all airlines no fly list ( if there is such a thing ??). Sadly , Spirit won’t do it because of their $29.00 fare to Ohio . The almighty dollar rules Spirit even though their employees pay the price on the ground and inflight . Yes without a doubt this man should be slammed to the maximum penalties allowed by law . With these low fares , it invites those low life people to fly on Spirit .They need to ride the bus as they are not worthy to fly .
@Tom K from Seattle [Seattle, that figures . . .]
1) you’re a woman who might want to decide what to do with her own body
So you advocate killing children.
2) someone who wants to read a book that the State of Florida has decided to ban
Books aren’t banned, Einstein. They just don’t think third-graders should be reading Fifty Shades of Grey so don’t make them available in schools.
3) a transgender person wanting to participate in sport
That’s right. Biological men have a physical advantage over biological women.
4) someone who doesn’t want to get shot just because some lunatic claims to have felt threatened.
Don’t threaten anyone.
Cop should have shot him. Would have been a legit shooting.
They charge him with the highest crime and the state drops it down. Thats the process… Deadly force could have applied in that situation, but the police showed restraint.
Florida men in there comments are all regards
Gary: So now you’re an expert in the law? If you can do better than the folks involved with this case who actually practice law there, what are you doing writing a blog about air miles? Why aren’t you in a court room pursuing truth, justice, and the American way?
Oh, wait… You’re not actually an attorney or a judge. My bad… You must have just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Sorry, this is an over-charge. That’s a moral and ethical point, more so than a legal one.
I thought police are pro-chokehold, they can’t really complain.
@Jesse: Clearly written by someone who doesn’t even know the difference between a chokehold [not used by the police] and a carotid restraint [which is].