SkyWest Airlines pilot arrested for suspected drunkenness

[peekay4]

SkyWest Airlines pilot, at helm of Delta flight, arrested for suspected drunkenness

A 38-year-old pilot was arrested in South Dakota on Wednesday morning under suspicion of operating a flight under the influence of alcohol, local police say.

Russel Duszak was taken into custody after TSA officers smelled alcohol on him and called local law enforcement, a Rapid City Police Department spokesperson told CBS News.

After an investigation, police said it was determined the pilot was in violation of the statute that prohibits flying with a blood-alcohol content of over .04.

More from: SkyWest Airlines pilot Russel Duszak, at helm of Delta flight, arrested for suspected drunkenness - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/skywest-airlines-pilot-russel-duszak-delta-flight-arrested-suspected-drunkeness/)

[Airbubba]

Hardly even news anymore, these incidents happen as regular as clockwork. :ugh:

Looks like he quickly bonded out on a misdemeanor state DUI charge:

Russel J. Duszak, 38, of Salt Lake City, was detained at the Pennington County Jail on a DUI-aircraft charge around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. He was released less than an hour later after paying a $300 bail, according to jail information.

Rapid City police arrested Duszak after finding his blood alcohol level to be above the 0.04 percent legal threshold for pilots. His exact alcohol level was still being determined by a laboratory test, police said Wednesday.

The Rapid City Police Department began investigating Duszak after it was notified that a SkyWest Airlines pilot “smelled of alcohol,” it said in a news release. The information came from Rapid City Regional Airport's Transportation and Security Administration shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Duszak’s flight, bound for Salt Lake City, was scheduled to take off at 8:30 a.m. but was delayed for 2-1/2 hours. Another SkyWest pilot replaced Duszak, airline spokesperson Layne Watson said.

Officials said Duszak violated a South Dakota law that prohibits pilots from flying under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The offense is a class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in county jail and/or a fine of $2,000.

Pilot on administrative leave for aircraft DUI charge | Local | rapidcityjournal.com (http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/pilot-on-administrative-leave-for-aircraft-dui-charge/article_c7c40a30-e01b-5f97-b551-2bd82e10a57a.html)

I think the first name is actually Russell, not Russel, from the LinkedIn profile and his FAA license listing.