Naked Flier Wasn't Exhibitionist, Just Bipolar and Off His Meds

The Bronx man who was arrested Tuesday after going full monty during a flight bound from Charlotte to L.A. wasn't doing it to freak out the squares; he happens to be bipolar. Authorities have identified the U.S. Airways passenger as Keith Wright, a Navy veteran, and his wife Debra tells the Daily News that Keith left their Bronx home Tuesday without telling her, after spending days not eating or sleeping: "When I came home from work he wasn't around. Next thing I know I get a call from a FBI officer. That is when I knew."

Flight Service Supervisor Claudia Kearney approached Wright upon seeing him dancing in the boarding area before the flight, and he told her he had consumed one beer. According to a complaint against Wright obtained by Newsday, Kearney told the FBI she didn't smell alcohol on him and decided he was all right to fly. But once he got in the air, Wright decided to air everything out. He ignored flight attendants' requests that he put his clothes on, and threw off a blanked they put on him. Wright then punched and kicked a flight attendant, who asked two off-duty law officers to help subdue him.

Flight attendants were also dealing with an unrelated onboard medical emergency at the same time, and according to the FBI's report, the flight was actually diverted because of the medical emergency, with Wright's birthday suit a secondary reason for the pit stop in Albuquerque. He was taken off the plane naked in handcuffs, and is now in federal custody on a charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants. Passenger Ginny Keegan tells Newsday that when the flight resumed again from Albuquerque, the pilot got on the intercom to issue "a reminder to everybody to please keep your clothing on."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on July 2, 2009 4:29 PM

Comments [rss]

Rfive

Wasn't the dead Gotbaum bi-polar too?

KilgoreTrout

Why can't the hot bipolar women get naked next to me when I'm flying?

jaycjay

I know what you mean. I never get to fly with Lara Flynn Boyle.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-335936/Laras-Twin-Peaks-miles-high.html

NannyState

Thankfully he didn't fly in Business Class where the stewardesses hand out Cialis.

Snoopy

Amen to that. Have you looked at the stewardesses in the last thirty years?

BTW why do they have stewardesses on planes anymore? Is it a union thing?

NannyState

Stewardesses still reign in Business Class. "Jerold" will be your server in Coach.

Clarice City

Hopefully, trays were the only thing in the upright position.

Snoopy

Bi polar tri polar who gives a fuck. Just kill him and save the world some aggravation in the future.

Thespis

Man, the TSA and these flight attendants just watch you like a hawk these days. Nail files, toothpaste, taking off your pants...one toe over the line and they're on you. Since when was stripping naked on a jet plane a federal crime?

Look, when they banned lighters, I told all of you "watch -- the next thing you know, it's going to be illegal to strip down to your bare ass on a cross-country flight." And you didn't believe me -- but look where we are!

These guys should go back to East Germany where they belong.

militza

His tuchus isn't that bad.

Clarice City

Hawt!!!

keepdiscoevil

It's because he's a Navy boy.

"Anchors aweigh, my boys, anchors aweigh.

Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day!"

keepdiscoevil

It's because he's a Navy boy.

"Anchors aweigh, my boys, anchors aweigh.

Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day!"

jaycjay

There are a few of those in the news today:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1196792/Top-Italian-swimmers-horror-bathing-costume-bursts-open-unfortunate-place-championship-meet.html

militza

tushie time!

Clarice City

He looks good for 50.

inoyourider

He should definitely be in custody, and definitely get some sort of punishment such as community service and scheduled treatment.

Going off your med's should not be an acceptable excuse for committing a felony.

ANGRYGOD11

Taking your clothes off on a plane is a felony?

It's time to arrest the babies.

inoyourider

And its not so much the taking off the clothes as the assault on a flight attendant that's a felony.

Now, if a baby were to assault a flight attendant that might be another story.

So good point!

inoyourider

Right, because that's an apt comparison.

militza

that's a little harsh!

inoyourider

Tell that to someone whose lost a family member because someone didn't take their medication. Especially if the person had previously been in legal trouble as a result of skipping their pills.

DollinNYC

Yeah, scheduled treatment worked well for Andrew Goldstein.

inoyourider

Was Andrew Goldstein in scheduled treatment?

I think the public deserves protection above and beyond anyone's illness, no matter how terrible it may sound.