A 67-year-old Arizona man was arrested after an alleged mid-flight outburst forced an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark to divert to Baltimore, where passengers had restrained him with duct tape and zip ties.

The passenger was identified as Arthur Layne Lundeen, of Tucson. Maryland Transportation Authority Police said he was arrested after Flight 618 landed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Sept. 3. He faces state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

Passengers Step In
According to passenger accounts, the disturbance escalated during the flight when Lundeen allegedly became increasingly aggressive and directed racial slurs, vulgar language and anti-gay remarks at people aboard the aircraft.

Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer traveling on the flight, told ABC News that he and fellow passenger Richard Olenick intervened when they believed the situation was becoming physical.

The passengers and crew eventually restrained Lundeen in his seat using duct tape, while his hands were secured with zip ties.

Images showing the passenger bound to the seat quickly circulated online.

Mejia said the goal was to keep the situation under control rather than hurt him.

Flight Diverted to Baltimore
Flight 618 was traveling from Dallas to Newark when the crew diverted to Baltimore at around 10:15 p.m.

American Airlines confirmed that the aircraft was diverted because of a disruptive passenger. Once the plane landed, law enforcement officers boarded and removed Lundeen from the aircraft.

After he was taken into custody, the flight continued to Newark.

The incident did not result in a crash or other major emergency, but the diversion forced hundreds of passengers to deal with an unexpected stop before continuing their journey.

FBI Investigating
The FBI is separately investigating what happened aboard the aircraft and said it will consult with federal prosecutors about whether additional federal charges should be filed.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident.

Lundeen was later released while the criminal case proceeds, according to court information reported by multiple outlets. He is scheduled to appear in court in October.

Identified as Tucson Real Estate Professional
Lundeen was identified by news outlets as a Tucson real estate professional who had been associated with Long Realty.

His professional profile was subsequently removed, and reports said the company had ended its relationship with him following the incident.

For now, the allegations remain the subject of ongoing investigations and court proceedings.

What began as a routine flight from Texas to New Jersey ended with an unexpected landing, an arrest and a remarkable image of a passenger restrained to his seat as fellow travelers waited for authorities to take control of the situation.

Course: NY Post