Former NFL player accused of urinating on passenger during international flight
In this handout image provided by the NFL, Gosder Cherilus of the Detroit Lions poses for his NFL headshot circa 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. ( NFL via Getty Images)
Former NFL player Gosder Cherilus was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly drunkenly hit a man and urinated on another passenger during an international flight, the Massachusetts State Police said on Monday.
Cherilus, 40, from Wakefield, near Boston, was set to leave from Boston to Dublin, Ireland, at the Logan International Airport on Sunday.
Before the Delta flight took off, Cherilus appeared drunk, according to a police report, and allegedly argued with the flight crew about his seat.
An hour into the flight, Cherilus allegedly urinated on an elderly passenger and then hit another passenger before he took that passenger’s seat and passed out, the report said.
The flight returned to the airport where troopers ordered Cherilus to disembark. The former football player "became irate and uncooperative," police said.
He was arrested shortly after.
Cherilus was arraigned on Monday in East Boston District Court, according to The Boston Globe.
"It’s pretty egregious what you did, as alleged," Judge Debra A. DelVecchio told Cherilus.
Cherilus apologizes
Cherilus posted an apology on his X account Monday. He apologized to the passengers and the flight crew, saying he had taken sleeping medication that he does not normally use and this was the reason behind his behavior.
Delta responds
In a statement Monday, Delta confirmed there had been an "unruly customer" on the flight and that the other passengers were later flown to Dublin. The airline did not say how long the flight was delayed.
"Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior and will cooperate with law enforcement to that end," the company said in a statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel."