Latest news with #ContraCostaCountySheriffsOffice
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Yahoo
Delta pilot faces child sex assault charges after post-flight arrest
A Delta Air Lines pilot that was taken into custody after landing at San Francisco International Airport was arrested on child sexual assault charges, authorities said. Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, was booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age, according to a statement provided to USA TODAY by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office on July 28. The statement said the arrest stemmed from an ongoing investigation that began with a report of "sex crimes against a child" made in April. County records show that Bhagwagar was arrested on July 26 and is being held in lieu of $5 million bail. It was unclear if Bhagwagar had legal representation, as of Monday afternoon, July 28, and an initial court date was not listed in the county record. Videos shared online and published by travel outlet View from the Wing showed officers walking down the aisle of flight 2809 after its arrival at San Francisco International Airport. The plane landed at approximately 9:35 p.m. the day of the arrest after a delay for heavy fog, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Delta said in a statement that Bhagwagar had been suspended, pending investigation, and that the company is cooperating with law enforcement. "We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest," the airline said. Charges bring clarity to scrutinized arrest The incident drew scrutiny as the nature of the arrest was not immediately clear prior to the statement from the sheriff's office. Hira Zhahir, a Homeland Security Investigations public affairs officer, told USA TODAY July 28 that the department was not the lead agency on the arrest, saying, "HSI was assisting Contra Costa Sherriff's office with an arrest warrant." Footage taken on the plane and published by View from the Wing shows some of the officers wearing plainclothes and badges. It is unclear from the footage if the officers were masked. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Delta pilot Rustom Bhagwagar faces child assault charges after arrest
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Yahoo
Delta Airlines Pilot Arrested in Cockpit Within Moments of Plane Touching Down in San Francisco: Reports
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, July 26, on a flight from MinneapolisNEED TO KNOW A Delta Airlines copilot was arrested by around 10 officers, some of whom appeared to be from the Department of Homeland Security, in the cockpit once a flight touched down in San Francisco on July 26 The unnamed pilot was flying Delta Flight 2809, which touched down at San Francisco International Airport, according to reports A passenger onboard the flight said that the officers "stormed" the cockpit and removed the pilot, who has not been identifiedA Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco took a very unexpected turn once the plane touched down in California. On Saturday, July 26, Delta Flight 2809 landed at San Francisco International Airport around 9:35 p.m., according to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle. Within moments of its arrival, a group of approximately 10 officers boarded the plane and arrested one of its copilots. A passenger onboard told travel outlet View from the Wing that the officers "stormed" the cockpit. They reportedly took the copilot away to the confusion of everyone, including the other pilot on the flight. The copilot has not been identified by name. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations in San Francisco told the San Francisco Chronicle that the agency assisted local officials in executing an arrest warrant. 'This is an ongoing local investigation with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office,' the spokesperson told the outlet. Footage shared with View from the Wing appeared to show the agents on the plane. Some of them wore plainclothes. Describing the incident as "traumatic to watch," a passenger who identified herself as Sarah told ABC7 News that some of the officers appeared to be wearing Homeland Security badges. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that others were air marshals. "They barged through and stormed the cockpit," Sarah told ABC7. "They removed the copilot, cuffed him, presumably arrested him, and brought him back down the aisle to deplane." She said that the rest of the people on the flight were "shocked and stunned" by the development. Demanding answers, she said that the situation was "just a huge question mark." "I don't know if this person was disappearing before our eyes, if there had been a crime committed, or what exactly was happening," she said, adding that she "jumped in the car and cried" after her husband picked her up at the gate. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The reason for the pilot's arrest and additional details about the situation were not immediately available. A representative for the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) referred questions on the incident to the U.S. Attorney's Office. PEOPLE reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and Delta Airlines for comment. Read the original article on People
