Thread: Compass Airways..Mex. Flight attendant sets fire in jet...

Attendant in plane fire no-show at court

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Sep 06, 2008 - 07:44:28 CDT
By DAVE KOLPACK/Associated Press Writer
FARGO - A flight attendant charged with setting fire to an airplane bathroom failed to show for a federal court appearance. Authorities said he walked away from a halfway house in the middle of the night.

Eder Rojas, 19, of Woodbury, Minn., has pleaded not guilty to knowingly and willfully setting fire to an aircraft. The May 7 Compass Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Fargo.

Defense attorney Steven Light told U.S. District Judge Rodney Webb on Friday that Rojas has been "incredibly unreceptive" and has refused to speak to Light in recent days.

"I have no idea where he is," Light said.

A parole official told Webb that Rojas was last seen at Centre Inc., a Fargo halfway house, about 3:30 a.m. Friday. Rojas did not have permission to leave, authorities said.

Webb ordered federal marshals to find Rojas and arrest him. The judge later postponed the trial, which was scheduled to begin Monday.

Light said he expected Rojas to ask for a new attorney during Friday's pretrial hearing.

"His father has notified me that I was fired," Light said.

Prosecutors said during an arraignment hearing in June that Rojas, a Mexican citizen, should be jailed because he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. In arguing for detention, the government said Rojas was on a plane whose lavatory caught fire about five weeks earlier. No charges have been filed in that case.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Klein originally released Rojas to the custody of his father, Juan Rojas of Chicago, and set several conditions. The judge had Rojas moved to the halfway house on July 1 after he violated those terms by allegedly contacting a co-worker.

Rojas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He might be ordered to pay restitution for damage to the plane.

Authorities said Rojas set fire to paper towels in the plane's bathroom because he was upset about having to work the route from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan. No injuries were reported among the 72 passengers and four crew members.

After issuing the bench warrant for Rojas' arrest, Webb continued Friday's conference by discussing proposed jury instructions and other details for the trial.

The judge closed the hearing by telling Light that Juan Rojas "doesn't decide whether you can be relieved of your duties."

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/ ... 5027ded378

WHY in the hell is a mexican citizen working as a flight attendant in the US?!?!?! Since he skipped out on his father's watch, will the father be penalized? He should be!

Gee, I wonder where this "Mexican" citizen fled to and how he got there?

Authorities said Rojas set fire to paper towels in the plane's bathroom because he was upset about having to work the route from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan. No injuries were reported among the 72 passengers and four crew members.

A Mexican flight attendant gets "upset" and sets fire to an airplane. What in the hell is he doing working for an U.S. airlines? And why on earth was he released to his fathers custody?

America, we are going down a 3rd world shute.

legalatina wrote:

Gee, I wonder where this "Mexican" citizen fled to and how he got there?

Why the pudding was this character sent to a halfway house since he has already violated probation at dad's home? There would be no chance for an American kid to even get that kind of consideration.

Originally Posted by legalatina

Gee, I wonder where this "Mexican" citizen fled to and how he got there?

I WONDER....UMMM...LETS SEE.....MEXICO? HE WAS FACING 20 YEARS SO THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN TO KEEP HIM LOCKED UP.

Originally Posted by butterbean

Authorities said Rojas set fire to paper towels in the plane's bathroom because he was upset about having to work the route from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan. No injuries were reported among the 72 passengers and four crew members.

A Mexican flight attendant gets "upset" and sets fire to an airplane. What in the hell is he doing working for an U.S. airlines?

I suspect he had a green card, this is nothing, there are thousands of green card holders working for Homeland Security in airports.

I say this guy is a foreign terrorist, he wouldn't set the plane afire just for having to work a certain route.

Link needed to article. Please remember to provide a link.

CHANTILLY, Va.--(Business Wire)--
Compass Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines,
(NYSE: NWA) celebrates the achievement of an operational
milestone--one year of service. Compass has served nearly half a
million passengers in this first year of service with 17
state-of-the-art EMB-176 regional jet aircraft. In addition, Compass
was recently awarded approval from the U.S. Department of
Transportation to operate daily round trip flights from Detroit to
Monterey, Mexico, effective May 2, 2008.

Originally Posted by Bowman

Originally Posted by butterbean

Authorities said Rojas set fire to paper towels in the plane's bathroom because he was upset about having to work the route from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan. No injuries were reported among the 72 passengers and four crew members.

A Mexican flight attendant gets "upset" and sets fire to an airplane. What in the hell is he doing working for an U.S. airlines?

I suspect he had a green card, this is nothing, there are thousands of green card holders working for Homeland Security in airports.

I say this guy is a foreign terrorist, he wouldn't set the plane afire just for having to work a certain route.

That's insanity. Illegals have been found to work airports. You want to talk about national security? Talk about the cargo planes and the workers on the tarmac.