Air passenger pleads not guilty to assault charge

BANGOR – The British vice president of a Texas corporation on Monday pleaded not guilty to slapping a flight attendant with both hands and was released on $10,000 cash bail pending trial.

Christopher Gavan, 49, appeared for a hearing before Magistrate Judge Margaret J. Kravchuk at U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Two days earlier, his alleged actions caused Continental Airlines Flight 11 from Paris to Houston to make an unscheduled landing at Bangor International Airport. Police arrested Gavan and the flight was delayed about two hours.

Gavan is charged with simple assault within the special territorial aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, a misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces the possibility of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Gavan is from England but has resided legally in the United States since 1991, according to information given in court. He is vice president of Technofour Inc., a Houston company that sells gasoline and oil-drilling equipment.

Gavan will be allowed to return to his home in Texas pending further court action. He was given 10 days to post the $10,000 cash bail.

According to an affidavit filed in court and written by Wayne Hedrick, special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Capt. Dave Orozco, the pilot of Flight 11, diverted the flight and landed at BIA at about 1:56 p.m. Saturday after Gavan’s behavior became unruly.

Gavan reportedly slapped flight attendant Oscar Aron Gonzalez in the face with both hands as Gonzalez attempted to calm him. The assault was witnessed by two other flight attendants who are mentioned in the affidavit.

Gavan’s attorney, David Kreisler of Portland, and assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Love, who represented the government at the hearing, declined to comment on whether alcohol was involved in the incident though a jail official on Sunday reportedly said it was.

Gavan makes the 10th person removed for unruly behavior from a flight diverted to Bangor in the past two years.