‘I Will Break Your Jaw’: Passaic Man Threatens Crew, Mocks Passengers On Flight, Feds Say

NEWARK, NJ — Officials arrested an airplane passenger who reportedly threatened crew members, banged on a cockpit door, harassed a disabled juvenile and mocked Jewish passengers during a flight to Newark on Sunday.

The man also forced his way to the front of the plane once it landed and confronted the pilot, banging on the fight deck door and threatening to break a flight attendant's jaw while using a racial slur, said the U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday.

Authorities said Luis A. Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, was aboard an airplane traveling from Miami to New Jersey. Shortly after takeoff, he began threatening a disabled minor and making fun of a group of Jewish passengers, officials said.

Vaquero also is accused of threatening a flight crew member who declined to serve him alcohol after the beverage service window closed, and said “You better watch out, s***’s gonna happen to you.”

The threatening behavior continued after the plane touched down, prosecutors said:

“Upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, flight attendants alerted law enforcement. After hearing the announcement that the airplane was awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, Vaquero forced his way to the front of the plane and began banging on the flight deck door, demanding, ‘I need the pilot to come outside!’ When a flight attendant attempted to intervene, Vaquero yelled, ‘I will really break your f****** jaw n****!’ Vaquero also yelled, ‘I wanna see that f****** captain! Come outside you bitch ass n****!’ When the captain emerged, Vaquero continued to make threats to the captain while six inches from his face until law enforcement intervened.”

Vaquero was charged with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation. He appeared in Newark federal court and was released, prosecutors said Monday.

The charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, prosecutors said.

This article contains reporting from Patch's Eric Kiefer.