A 26-year-old man was arrested after deputies say he caused a drunken disturbance at Miami International Airport on Sunday, was found seated at a Chili's bar near Gate D14, and later spat on an emergency room nurse who was helping restrain him at the hospital.
Lucas J. Cote was the subject of the call that sent a deputy to the American Airlines rebooking center after reports of a violent man causing a disturbance, according to an arrest report cited by WSVN. When deputies tracked him down, Cote was found seated at the bar inside the nearby Chili's restaurant, appearing highly intoxicated and refusing commands to get up from his seat, the station reports.
As the deputy moved to take him into custody, Cote yelled obscenities while officers escorted him onto a golf cart, per the same account. The deputy ultimately needed help from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to get him under control.
Disoriented and Confused in Custody
While in custody, Cote appeared disoriented and made statements indicating he believed he was simultaneously on a boat and on an airplane, according to the arrest report. Deputies took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital West for evaluation under the Marchman Act, Florida's civil process for involuntarily committing people for substance abuse treatment.
At the hospital, Cote kept yelling and repeatedly tried to get up as medical staff worked to sedate him, the station's report states. It was during that struggle that an emergency room nurse stepped in to help restrain him — and, deputies say, Cote spat on the nurse while the nurse tried to keep him from getting up.
Felony Charge Follows Hospital Release
Once Cote was sedated and released from the hospital, he was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, per the report. He now faces charges of battery on an emergency medical care provider, disorderly intoxication and disorderly conduct.
A judge found probable cause for the charges and set his bond at $2,800. Under Florida law, battery against an emergency medical care provider performing lawful duties — a category that includes registered nurses acting in that capacity — is reclassified from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, according to Florida Statute 784.07. Separately, state law prohibits being intoxicated or drinking alcohol in a public place while causing a public disturbance, a violation classified as a second-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statute 856.011.
It is the kind of alcohol-fueled airport incident that has popped up elsewhere in South Florida recently. Just last month, a Maryland woman was arrested after she was reportedly caught masturbating on a flight while apparently intoxicated, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, as reported by ClickOrlando.
