A registered sex offender is facing federal charges after accusations surfaced of him allegedly groping a 17-year-old girl on a Spirit Airlines flight en route to Orlando, a disturbing encounter detailed in a criminal complaint from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. As reported by ClickOrlando, the victim experienced unwanted advances beginning with a request for a photograph of the view to be sent to John Daniel Fowler, the 65-year-old man later identified as the assailant.
The complaint goes further to state the teen repeatedly fended off Fowler's attempts to place his hand on her seat throughout the journey and, when landing, the girl awoke under her blanket to find Fowler touching her inappropriately which prompted her to scream, Fowler had become agitated at the Indianapolis gate before the flight due to a $100 fee for his oversized luggage, and he expressed a disturbing wish for the plane to crash. Still, he later apologized and was allowed to board the flight as detailed by a FOX 35 Orlando report.
Fowler, who in 2023 was convicted of sexual battery for assaulting a sleeping victim, now faces charges of abusive sexual contact by a registered sex offender. The girl was able to attract a flight attendant's attention after the incident. She was promptly relocated to the front of the cabin for her safety, the perpetrator was moved to the rear of the aircraft, and after landing, Orlando police were dispatched to the terminal to question Fowler about the episode, as stated in the complaint.
When interviewed by law enforcement, Fowler asserted that he merely reached down to pick up the girl's fallen Thermos, accidentally brushing her leg as he moved to sit back up, claiming no illicit intention despite the serious allegations against him, Spirit Airlines has promptly barred Fowler from all future flights, reiterating that "Safety is our top priority, and we have zero tolerance for the behavior as alleged," according to a statement obtained by ClickOrlando.
