Pleasant Hill pilot facing felony charges after trying to seize control of SFO-bound aircraft

Grand Jury indicts Pleasant Hill pilot on 84 counts after October incident

By The Pioneer 5 months ago
Pleasant Hill pilot facing felony charges after trying to seize control of SFO-bound aircraft
Joseph Emerson, of Pleasant Hill, is accused of trying to shut down a plane’s engines while he was flying off-duty and putting the lives of more than 80 passengers and crew at risk.

PLEASANT HILL, CA (Dec. 5, 2023) — Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that an Oregon grand jury indicted Joseph David Emerson, 44, on 84 charges related to the October 22nd incident aboard Horizon Air Flight 2059, which landed at Portland International Airport on an emergency diversion.

The grand jury returned a true bill alleging:

  • One count of Endangering Aircraft in the First Degree
  • 83 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person

Mr. Emerson is currently lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center. He is currently scheduled to be arraigned on December 7 at 9:30 a.m.

A charging instrument is only an accusation of a crime. Mr. Emerson is innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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