Video shows Southwest pilot taking sobriety test on jet bridge before DUI arrest
Share this @internewscast.com

A pilot from Southwest Airlines was taken from the cockpit and detained after accusations surfaced that he attempted to fly under the influence. According to law enforcement footage released on Thursday, he attributed the smell of alcohol, pointed out by officers, to nicotine pouches.

David Allsop was preparing to depart Flight 3772 from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Chicago Midway, when at around 6 a.m. on January 15, airport police approached him on the jet bridge at Gate 2, as noted in a Chatham County Police Department report.

When questioned about recent alcohol consumption, Allsop admitted to having “a few beers” about “ten hours ago,” as revealed by police body camera footage.

“Define a few beers?” officer Josiah Best asked.

“A few beers,” the pilot responded.

“Define a few beers?” Best repeated.

“Like three,” the pilot said. “Light beer, Miller Lite.”

Best asked Allsop, who has turned 53 since this incident, if he’d consent to field sobriety tests and the pilot refused, saying “there’s no need.”

“I can smell an odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage,” Best responded.

During the encounter, Allsop removed a nicotine pouch from his mouth, dropped it, collected it, and showed it to the officers, as captured both on video and in a written report.

“ditionally, I observed that Mr. Allsop had bloodshot, watery eyes and a flushed complexion,” Best noted in his report.

Allsop eventually consented to field sobriety tests and he struggled to follow the tip of a moving pen and to stand on one leg, police said.

The officer noted that Allsop “was unable to follow the tip of my pen with his eyes as instructed and instead moved his head and neck during the test.” Additionally, “Mr. Allsop swayed while holding his leg at a 45-degree angle,” as the report stated.

Allsop was arrested on a charge of DUI.

According to a statement from Southwest Airlines on Friday, Allsop “was immediately relieved from duty following the reported incident and is no longer with the company.”

David Chaiken, Allsop’s defense lawyer, insisted that the video footage shows no evidence of his client being impaired.

“The recently released bodycam video confirms what should be obvious to anyone who watches it — Captain Allsop committed no crime,” Chaiken said in a statement on Friday.

“Experts who have reviewed the video have concluded that the tests that led to his arrest were not performed correctly and that the proper procedures were not followed.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Grieving Camp Mystic Parents Urge Stronger Safety Protocols After Flooding Tragedy

Mothers and fathers, mourning the loss of their children who perished at…

TECO Executives Anticipated to Share Updates on Hurricane Season Preparations

Hillsborough County commissioners in Tampa, Fla., are reviewing data to understand what…

Missouri Offers Historic Bridge for Free

() Have you ever gone up to somebody and asked them if…

Numerous Target Facility Workers Terminated Due to Alleged Health Care Loan Fraud

CHICAGO (WGN) A significant number of workers at a Target distribution center…

Bystanders Aid in Saving Mother and Her Baby After Car Plunges into Marina

MENASHA, Wis. (WFRV) – On Tuesday night, bystanders assisted in rescuing the…

Candidate for Governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Makes a Stop in Savannah

During a recent stop in Savannah, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms…

Federal Judge Issues Temporary Halt on Texas Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Schools

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAN) A federal district court judge delivered a preliminary…

Israel Greenlights Gaza City Takeover Strategy and Mobilization of 60,000 Reserve Troops

Israel has greenlit a plan to seize control of Gaza City, calling…

Oklahoma Education to Prioritize Truthful Teaching: Superintendent

Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction is ensuring the state’s school curriculum aligns…

Trump Criticizes Smithsonian for Emphasizing the Harsh Realities of Slavery

President Trump on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the Smithsonian museums in…

Meta Partners with Aiken Chamber of Commerce to Launch New Innovation Corridor

AIKEN, S.C. () – At the recent ‘State of Our Community’ gathering,…

The Latest Accusation from the Trump Administration Against Political Adversaries: Involvement in Mortgage Fraud

In the past few weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has directed attention…