The Charlotte Observer reported:
A Milwaukee man was arrested by Charlotte Mecklenburg police and charged with intoxicated and disruptive behavior Saturday after he allegedly berated Milwaukee County Sheriff and popular conservative speaker David A. Clarke Jr. throughout a two-hour flight from Milwaukee to Charlotte, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Clarke is a well known champion of conservative causes and was a speaker at this year’s Republican National Convention. He is known as a supporter of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Flight passenger Preston Bluntson, 36, was arrested by police at around 7:10 p.m. Saturday. Both Bluntson and Clarke are African American, and Bluntson appeared to be familiar with Clarke’s political affiliations and said the sheriff was “not one of us.”
A passenger on the American Airlines flight, who asked not to be named, told the Journal Sentinel that Bluntson became increasingly loud and disruptive, directing many comments at Clarke, who was at the back of the small plane.
“The guy was very abusive,” the passenger said.
When the plane landed, Clarke held Bluntson down, and a Charlotte officer boarded the plane and handcuffed him, according to the passenger. Three or four other officers then met Bluntson when he left the plane, and Clarke filled out paperwork on the incident, the newspaper reported. Bluntson was released on bond from the Mecklenburg County jail on Sept. 25.
The Milwaukee Sheriff’s Office posted a Facebook report on the arrest after the incident.