Tucson man wouldn't de-escalate on flight, fellow passenger says

A Tucson real estate broker is facing criminal charges after an alleged disturbance on an American Airlines flight led to a diversion, a struggle with fellow passengers, and his arrest in Maryland. Layne Lundeen, 67, was accused of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct after the Sept. 3 flight from Dallas to Newark was redirected to Baltimore. The incident has also cost him his position with Long Realty Co., where he had worked as an independent contractor since 2013.

The flight was about two hours into its trip when Richard O’Lenick, a passenger seated a few rows ahead of Lundeen, heard a man speaking loudly. O’Lenick, who owns the New Jersey gun range Gun for Hire, was returning home after attending a trade show in Reno, Nevada. He said Lundeen sounded angry and agitated, and that passengers heard him use vulgar language, racial slurs and homophobic remarks. O’Lenick said he did not know what initially provoked the outburst.

Flight attendants spent roughly 10 minutes trying to settle Lundeen, according to O’Lenick, but the situation grew more serious. A woman seated in front of Lundeen reportedly saw him place his hands around the throat of his seatmate, who had not been responding to his verbal outbursts. The woman began striking Lundeen, O’Lenick said, and Lundeen struck back. O’Lenick and his sales manager, Juan Mejia, then left their row to help stop the confrontation.

O’Lenick said he positioned himself between Lundeen’s knees and the seat, while Mejia, a former police officer, sat beside them. During the effort to restrain him, Lundeen bit Mejia and attempted to bite O’Lenick. The bite left a visible mark on Mejia but did not break the skin, O’Lenick said. Flight attendants eventually supplied zip tie restraints, which O’Lenick and Mejia used to secure Lundeen. When he continued struggling and trying to bite people, they also used duct tape to limit his ability to attack.

The passenger said he and Mejia repeatedly tried to calm Lundeen while holding him, but nothing appeared to work. O’Lenick described the episode as especially significant because the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was approaching. In the confusion aboard the plane, he said, passengers did not know what had caused the outburst or what might bring it to an end. O’Lenick said the men attempted to remain aware of the situation and treat Lundeen as respectfully as possible while preventing additional injuries.

The diversion and cleanup significantly extended the trip. The plane had been expected to arrive in Newark at about 11 p.m., but it reached its destination around 3 a.m. after the Baltimore detour and multiple cleanings. O’Lenick said Lundeen’s arm was injured during the struggle and that blood got onto the seats. After the plane landed, Lundeen was turned over to law enforcement. O’Lenick said he was relieved that the passengers and crew had been able to prevent further harm and safely hand Lundeen to authorities.

Lundeen was released Sept. 4, and his trial in Maryland is scheduled for Oct. 19. The FBI told Baltimore television station WMAR 2 that agents were interviewing people and considering whether federal charges could be filed. The state charges are based on the reported confrontation aboard the aircraft, while the federal review could address the incident’s connection to air travel. Lundeen could not be reached for comment.

The case has also affected Lundeen’s professional standing in Tucson. Long Realty announced that it was ending its relationship with him, and state records show that his association with the company was severed Sept. 5. Long Companies CEO Kevin Kaplan said the company had not heard from Lundeen since the flight and that the alleged conduct did not reflect its values. He also emphasized that Lundeen’s actions were those of one individual and did not represent the company or its other agents.

Lundeen has held an Arizona real estate broker’s license since 2001, and state records show no disciplinary actions against him during that time. A 2023 RISMedia report said he founded the Tanque Verde Trio in 2014 with Laurie Hassey and Claire Durand. The group reportedly sold more than 100 homes in the Tanque Verde area in 2022. Durand declined to comment on the charges, while Hassey directed questions to Kaplan. The allegations remain pending in Maryland, with the October court date expected to bring the next significant step in the case.