Delta pilot from Georgia sentenced for showing up to work impaired, with bottles of liquor in bag
The Georgia man was detained in Scotland, just before he was to fly Delta customers overseas to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
The Georgia man was detained in Scotland, just before he was to fly Delta customers overseas to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
The Georgia man was detained in Scotland, just before he was to fly Delta customers overseas to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
A Delta Air Lines pilot from Georgia has been sentenced to jail following his arrest last year in Scotland for showing up to work impaired.
Lawrence Russell, 63, of Fulton County, was detained at Edinburgh Airport in June 2023 before he was scheduled to fly to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Russell pleaded guilty to reporting to duty as a pilot while being impaired by alcohol. He was sentenced to 10 months behind bars.
Russell was stopped when his luggage failed to clear the airport’s security screening and security personnel found two bottles of liquor, one of which was described as half full.
His blood-alcohol level was reportedly twice the aviation limit.
Russell is no longer employed by Delta, according to a company spokesperson.
The BBC reported that Russell had two previous convictions in the U.S. for driving under the influence. His defense attorney said he had completed alcohol rehab and not had a drink in 277 days.
TRENDING STORIES