PORTLAND, Ore. — — Oregon prosecutors on Tuesday charged an off-duty pilot accused of trying to cut the engines on a Horizon Air jet in mid-air with 83 counts of attempted murder.
But an FBI agent wrote in a probable cause affidavit that the pilot spoke with police after his arrest about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and “said it was his first-time taking mushrooms.” Kevin Sonoff, the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon, said it was still under investigation whether Emerson took psychedelic mushrooms and when.
Flight attendants placed Emerson in wrist restraints and seated him in the rear of the aircraft, but as the plane descended, he tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit, according to the document. A flight attendant stopped him by placing her hands on top of his, it said. According to the affidavit, he asked police if he could waive his right to an attorney: “I’m admitting to what I did. I’m not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys.”