Neighbors say "nothing abnormal" about Bay Area pilot who tried to shut down jet's engines mid-flight
PLEASANT HILL -- Neighbors in Pleasant Hill said they were shocked to learn a Bay Area pilot is facing over 80 charges of attempted murder after trying to shut down a San Francisco-bound jet's engines mid-flight.
44-year-old Pleasant Hill resident Joseph Emerson made headlines all across the world for his actions on a flight between Everett, Washington and San Francisco International Airport Sunday evening.
Flight Diverted
The flight was diverted to Portland, Oregon, after the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot riding in the cockpit jump seat and allegedly tried to turn off the plane's engines as it traveled at about 31,000 feet. The Horizon plane, which is owned by Alaska Airlines, was carrying more than 80 passengers.
Emerson was removed from the cockpit and subdued. He did not cause any additional issues once he was placed in the back of the plane restrained with handcuffs, flight recordings indicated.
Pilots made an emergency landing in Portland and Emerson was taken into custody. There were no injuries. Neighbors who lived near where his home is in Pleasant Hill expressed disbelief when they learned he now faces 167 criminal charges, including 83 counts of attempted murder.
"Very Nice"
On Monday afternoon, it was all quiet outside of Emerson's home in Pleasant Hill that had Halloween decorations placed in the front yard.
"He seems like a really nice guy. Nothing abnormal about him. Very caring, loves his kids," said neighbor Ed Vee. "They're very nice to our grandson when he's over there."
Emerson is a married father of two. He was seen visiting sick kids in the hospital in photos posted to Facebook.
"It was very shocking. That something this big [happened] is very, very shocking basically," said Vee.
Sara Mattson, who lives near Emerson, echoed that sentiment.
"It's really shocking. I'm really glad that they were able to take care of everything and not jeopardize the passengers," said Mattson. "But maybe that pilot needs some help of some sort."
Multiple Agencies Investigating
In addition to being FAA certified to fly commercial airlines, Emerson was a flight instructor at a flying club in Concord based out of Buchanan Field.
The FAA told airlines the incident was not connected to current world events. So far there is no word on a motive behind Emerson's actions. The FBI, FAA authorities and police are still investigating
A Multnomah County Circuit Court spokesperson told CBS News that Emerson was booked in jail at 4:11 a.m. Monday and would appear in court Tuesday morning.
