RI Man Accused Of Making Bomb Threat On Florida Flight To T.F. Green

WARWICK, RI — A Rhode Island man is facing federal charges after prosecutors said he made a bomb threat, causing a flight from Orlando, Florida, to T.F. Green Airport to make an emergency landing.

Evan Sims, 41, was charged with false information and threats regarding the possession of an explosive on an airplane, U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg said Thursday.

According to court documents, Sims was on a Breeze Airways flight Tuesday from Orlando to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick. Prior to takeoff, Sims got in an argument with his travel companion.

Prosecutors said Sims told his travel companion he never heard of the airline for the flight and hoped the airplane did not “go down.” Sims stated that they would be “gone with the wind.”

During the airliner safety briefing, prosecutors said Sims made comments to his travel companion about needing to use the emergency doors and that the windows looked like they had not been used. Sims also told his travel companion he hoped they did not have to use the windows. Further, Sims questioned the flight crew regarding the emergency life raft that was in the overhead storage compartment, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Sims' travel companion and other passengers were uncomfortable with Sims’s statements, and Sims’s travel companion asked Sims to stop making his comments.

As the flight began to take off, Sims stood up in his seat and yelled he wanted to get off the plane, prosecutors said. While the flight was airborne, Sims said twice that his travel companion had a bomb on the plane, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Sim's behavior escalated, so the flight was diverted to Jacksonville International Airport.

Prosecutors said bomb-detection dogs searched the plane, but did not find any explosives.

If convicted, Sims faces up to five years in federal prison.

According to Breeze Airways, passengers were given overnight accommodations and were expected to fly to Providence Wednesday.

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