Flight diverts after passenger is accused of exposing himself, urinating in aisle

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Federal officials allege an Oregon man “exposed himself” and urinated in an airplane aisle during a flight that was ultimately diverted to New York.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York said 25-year-old Neil McCarthy was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with indecent exposure in connection to an incident that occurred the same day.

Authorities said the flight, which took off from Chicago on Wednesday morning, was headed to Manchester, New Hampshire, but diverted to Buffalo following the alleged incident.

The news release said police responded to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport following a report "made by an American Airlines flight that a man exposed himself and urinated in the aisle of the aircraft while the plane was in flight."

A criminal complaint obtained by the Associated Press indicates that McCarthy told law enforcement he drank several whiskey drinks before boarding his initial flight Portland, Oregon. He also claimed he drank more during a layover in Chicago, and suffered from a medical urination problem, the outlet reported, citing the complaint.

McCarthy now faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Passengers, meanwhile, continued on their journey to Manchester after the incident, a spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement shared with Nexstar. The carrier's spokesperson did not say whether the disruptive passenger had been banned from the airline entirely.

"We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," the statement said.