Off Duty American Airlines Flight Attendants Attacked In Charlotte

Two American Airlines flight attendants were attacked while waiting for an employee shuttle at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Friday September 15th

Apparently the altercation began when they were approached by Yolanda Davenport Trueheart and her husband Stanton Trueheart (age 58) who had just arrived from Houston, Texas aboard an American Airlines flight.

The unnamed flight attendants were two of several people waiting outside on the arrivals level of the airport and failed to notice Ms.Trueheart and her husband approach.

In a video posted by Ms. Trueheart a voice can be heard asking to have a seat. As the video image closes in on one of the flight attendants a voice can be heard saying "I'm a passenger" then the image suddenly becomes jumbled. As the image stabilizes a black man is seen punching and pushing one of the flight attendants down on the bench before the other flight attendant intervens. 

 

Apparently Ms. Trueheart was offended that one of the flight attendants was occupying the entire metal benches forcing her to stand while waiting for her ride.

When the flight attendants failed to look up and acknowledge her she began to film them and apparently tried to force her way onto the small bench

"I TRIED to get his attention to see if I could have a seat, he ignored me so I just sat down because clearly he was doing it on purpose." Ms. Trueheart posted on X.

She later posted the above video tagging American Airlines and saying:

@AmericanAir

 "#americanairline Is this how you train your #flightattendants to treat passengers when they ask if they can have a seat while waiting for a shuttle?"

Then she added follow-up posts:

"So I took out my phone to record, to show #americanairlines how insensitive their employee/flight attendants are. Boy, was I correct!! The video will speak for itself."

"So I said to myself, oh an #AmericanAirlineflightattendant then his "husband" that was sitting next to me overheard what I said and started getting on my case. I told him that I wasn't talking to him. I felt in my spirit that this was going downhill real fast"

"@americanair

 your employee knocked my phone to the ground and my husband did what he did.

He LATER said he was sick and had covid which is why he did what he did. Well he could have said that in the very beginning but instead he decided to be a #Ken. Now #BlackTwitter let's make him famous for his very rude behavior. And 

@americanair

 do better!!!"

Ms. Trueheart goes on:

"When I sat down I saw on his luggage his #American bag tag.

I did get a phone call from #AmericanAirline, and they apologized, and they are doing an investigation. 

They wish I had gotten their names. 

Twitter, can yall help me find out who these #flightattendants are? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! When you are in uniform, shouldn't you act becoming???"

The best part of her rant is including D L Hughley I guess looking for her 15 mins of fame?

Cedar's Take:

I’ve been on flights with those two flight attendants and they are crazy flaming gay. They are also super nice and always professional.

Comments were quick to condemn Yolanda Trueheart as a hubris entitled bitch and her husband as a thug. Many saying both should arrested and be banned from air travel for life.

Unlike the other American Airlines video of the Texas TMFINR woman where the comments were fairly divided Ms. Trueheart has received widespread unanimous condemnation.

For those who don't know these flight attendants are not there to serve anyone. They are off duty the moment they step off the plane. They have likely been on their feet for hours. Given the flight bags I'd guess they are Charlotte based senior crew members. I suspect they have just wrapped up a four day effort and have had enough of passenger idiocy.

If American Airlines doesn't come to their defense I hope the AFA-CWA steps up because this is nonsense.

Many have asked why they were not arrested. As CP understands it, CMPD Airport Officers handle these matters with the if I arrest them your are going to jail as well. (Correct me if I'm wrong) Clearly the flight attendant was assaulted. The use of deadly force would have been justified.

CP's advice is if you find yourself on an American Airlines flight in coach with these two give them a wide berth. 

Ella Lukse Fatal Crash Investigation in the CMPD South Division

The death of 15 year old Ella Lukse hits hard. Raintree is where I grew up. This is where my parents raised four children and lived from the time Raintree was developed until 2020, and this is madness. It was once a safe and attractive neighborhood. 

From CMPD:

Charlotte, N.C. – (Tuesday, September 5, 2023) – Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Major Crash Investigation Unit are investigating a serious injury motor vehicle crash in the South Division.

On Sunday, September 3, 2023, at approximately 8:57 p.m., South Division officers responded to a motor vehicle collision with injuries in the 8200 block of Raintree Lane.  Upon arrival, officers located a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee overturned and a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta badly damaged in the roadway. MEDIC responded to the scene and transported two passengers from the Jeep and both occupants of the Volkswagen to Atrium Health Main due to their injuries.  The driver of the Jeep, Gorden Ware Fleming, IV (DOB: 10/09/2005), was uninjured and remained on scene.

Detectives with the Major Crash Investigation Unit, DWI Task Force, and Crime Scene Search responded to the scene to conduct their investigation.  The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the Jeep was traveling south on Raintree Lane when his jeep struck the right side of the Volkswagen driven by Tokla Parker Chhem, Jr. (DOB: 04/25/2007).  The impact of the crash caused the Jeep to overturn and the Volkswagen to go off of the roadway and into a tree.  A 15-year-old passenger in the Volkswagen suffered severe, life-threatening injuries.

Excessive speed is believed to be a factor.  Mr. Fleming was found not to be impaired but had consumed alcohol prior to the collision.  He was arrested and charged with Driving After Consuming Under 21 and Reckless Driving.  Additional charges could be forthcoming pending the result of the continued investigation.

The investigation into this crash is active and ongoing.  As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Office.  Any person who witnessed the crash or has information about this case is asked to call Detective Pressley at 704-432-2169, extension 2.  The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.  For additional information about this case, please refer to the report: 20230903-2057-02.

And then this sad update:

On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at approximately 10:23 p.m., 15-year-old Ella Lukse (DOB: 02/13/2008), succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash and was pronounced deceased at Atrium Health Main.  Ella’s family members were present when she passed away.

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, detectives with CMPD’s Major Crash Investigation Unit obtained a Secure Custody Order for Gorden Ware Fleming, IV (DOB: 10/09/2005) for Involuntary Manslaughter.  Fleming was arrested at his home and transported to the Law Enforcement Center (601 E. Trade St.) in Uptown for questioning.  At the conclusion of the interview, he was transferred into the custody of the Stonewall Jackson Juvenile Correctional Facility in Cabarrus County.

Ella Lukse’s family has been notified of the arrest.

The investigation into this crash is active and ongoing.  As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Office.  Any person who witnessed the crash or has information about this case is asked to call Detective Pressley at 704-432-2169, extension 2.  The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.  For additional information about this case, please refer to the report: 20230903-2057-02.

A celebration and gathering of her family and friends will be held Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 1pm to 5pm at McEwen Funeral Service, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212

Ella Lukse

Gorden Ware Fleming, IV 17 has a history of recklessness according to several posts on social media.

No one has yet offered as reason the Fleming was traveling by some accounts at nearly twice the speed limit of 35 mph, down Raintree Lane. While the street to the Raintree Country Club goes on to connect to Providence Road at the Charlotte Latin School it is not a time saving cut through.

Gorden Ware Fleming, IV

Fleming who resided with his parents on Robinhood Road was uninjured in the crash. 

His father Gorden Fleming who is a pastor at Hope Community Church on Sharon Amity Road, has not spoken publicly about the death of Miss Luske or the arrest of his son.

Cedar's Take: As I have said this is madness. We have become a lawless society with kids raised by parents who are utter failures at teaching integrity, honesty and responsibility.

No family should have to endure this. 

When we were kids Raintree was a safe place. My brothers and sister and I felt safe, except some little guy named Mick Mulvaney who followed my sister around like a lost puppy. And Peter Pappas who was an annoying little kid who liked to play golf and drove us older kids working in the pro shop crazy when he'd lose a pitching wedge on the course. And Chip Sella whose father was the CEO of Fortune 500 company American Cyanamid. We were well off kids from six figure income families, but we didn't act like entitled brats. We were not always angels but we understood that our actions had consequences. We obeyed traffic laws and took driving seriously. I could give you a dozen names of families that raised their kids in Raintree and nothing like this ever happened. Now its just heartbreaking madness. 

Cedar Update:

In September of 2024 Fleming pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum term of 16 Months and for a maximum term of 29 Months in the custody of the NC DAC. The sentence was suspended and he was given 36 months probation on 9/12/2024.

A civil suit filed against the defendant and his parents remains and will likely be settled in 2026.

Why Do Charlotte City Council Members Love Developers?

As you can see above Ed Driggs saw nearly 70% of his past campaign contributions coming real estate developers including RK Investors. 

A review of the most recent campaign finance report from the North Carolina State Board of Elections shows Ed Driggs taking money from the usual suspects: Levine, Pappas, Northwood and Charter Properties. All big names in the real estate development game in Charlotte.

Noticeably absent are contributions from RK Investors who gave handsomely during the previous election cycles. 

So forget Ed Driggs' democrat vs republican excuse, or his blame shifting to the "affordable housing" liberal agenda.

It is not just Driggs who is in bed with developers, across the political spectrum decisions about Charlotte's future are made by not the taxpayers and citizens but real estate developers who have bought and paid the sole of our elected officials.

If you have not signed or shared our Petition objecting to this rezoning request, we encourage you to do so. We'd like to reach our goal of 15,000 signatures before we deliver printed copies of our petition to Charlotte City Council Members.

Our concerns about the Gillespie Project are:

• Increased Traffic (Rea Road, Elm Lane, and NC 51).
• Over Crowded Schools (Already 130% of Capacity).
• Threatened Wildlife including a pair of American Bald Eagles.
• Loss of Tree Canopy more than 70% of the 53 Acres.
• Increased Stormwater Runoff (Already a Serious Issue in South CLT).
• Overloaded Infrastructure (Police, Sanitation, Utilities Under Duress).
• Unreasonable Project Size (Population Density 1,520% Greater Than the Surrounding Area).

Again thank you for your continued support.

One Man's Story 9/11

There are things that tie this nation together, Pearl Harbor, Challenger, and 9/11 as it has come to be known. But now 22 years on, many people not directly affected by the great loss of life or living in New York at the time may have forgotten the hours immediately after the first plane roared into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

The current president Joe Biden will skip today's ceremonies in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. It is his belief that it is time for our Nation to move on. He has said the same about Pearl Harbor in the past.

Certainly anyone over the age of 30 understands what happened that day, but still only a small number of Americans know what New York was like during the attack and in the first hours after.

CP was thankfully not in New York on September 11th having left the city two days prior. I watched the second plane impact the South Tower live on television. The rest of the day is a distant memory, except for the silence in the air that afternoon. Unknown to me one of my colleagues a fellow investment professional was at ground zero.

His story arrived 2 days later via fax at my office. The following images are of that fax that I've kept in my top desk drawer for the last 22 years. Today I'm sharing one man's story unedited (note you will have to click on each image to enlarge) someday maybe today I'll transcribe the letter, an effort I have once before attempted but found it to difficult to type the words:

Cedar's Take: I'm still stunned at what happened that crystal clear Carolina morning in September and while I lost no friends or family in the attack the pain is just as if I had. 

My grandfather a Navy vet never hated the Germans but he despised the "Japs". I never understood why until 9/11. It takes a pretty horrific event to make an entire group of people the most hated and despised of the world's population. Muslims have unfortunately accomplished just that. 

CMPD Only In Charlotte

This is old news from back on May `6, 2023 but you likely missed it:

Apparently CMPD is not just short staffed when it comes to Officers, or dispatch. Fire and sanitation are short handed as well. An so it seems is the City of Charlotte garage, so the City has outsourced more and more motor vehicle servicing to local operations and dealerships. 

Enter Charlotte's Town and Country Ford.

What you may or may not know is that dealership will often take your car for a "road test" which might even include allowing a service tech to drive your car home for the night. 

And so it seems that a certain Town and Country Ford employee was told he could take a marked Ford Explorer home for the night. Everything was fine until Jamal Baker was noticed by a concerned citizen driving the white and blue marked unit.

Apparently Jamal doesn't fit the typical CMPD Officer profile even when off duty.

Jamal Baker

So CMPD Officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and detained Baker without incident. Baker was brought back to the Metro team office to be interviewed by Detectives.

All the while Baker is saying my boss said it was ok. Well can't blame the Officers who punted the arrest and left the "suspect" with Metro decetitives to sort things out.

Baker stuck with his story and finally detectives called his boss at Town and Country Ford who confirmed that he was indeed authorized to drive the patrol unit.

Apologies all around as Baker was told he would not be charged and that's when Baker said that's cool do you mind if I get "my gun" out of the center console?

At least Baker is honest, CMPD says they found the glove box unlocked, with a handgun inside.

And so CMPD arrested 31-year-old Jamal Baker and charged him with misdemeanor carrying a concealed handgun. 

The Official CMPD Statement:

“CMPD is extremely disappointed that this incident occurred and has communicated to Town and Country Ford that this is unacceptable. CMPD relies on quality vehicles to provide exceptional police service in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. We entrusted Town and Country Ford with the responsibility of maintaining a portion of our fleet, and it is important that this trust remains intact. A marked CMPD police vehicle should be a representation of a legitimate CMPD police officer, and we will continue to implement measures to ensure that this will not happen again.”

Baker was booked into jail on the misdemeanor of carrying a concealed weapon charge and released on a promise to appear.

UPDATE:

Baker's court date was August 22, 2023 and not having heard otherwise we would hope the ADA would have taken a voluntary dismissal. 

CMPD Officer Involved Shooting Press Release

CMPD Press Release:

Charlotte, N.C. – (Sunday, August 20, 2023) – Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are investigating an assault with a deadly weapon on an officer and officer-involved shooting in the 300 block of West Tremont Avenue in the Central Division.

Preliminary information reveals on Sunday, August 20, shortly before 8:00 a.m., officers responded to a domestic disturbance call for service. When officers arrived on scene, they heard sounds of a disturbance inside an apartment. Officers forced entry into the apartment and were met by the combative suspect. 

An altercation ensued, during which the suspect stabbed an officer in the neck. Officers perceived an imminent deadly threat and one officer discharged their service weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect was pronounced deceased on scene. 

The officer who was stabbed, and a female victim who sustained a gunshot wound were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Multiple firearms were recovered from inside the apartment.

Homicide Unit detectives and the State Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene to conduct an investigation, and Crime Scene Search responded to process the scene and collect physical evidence.  

CMPD's Operations Command, Community Policing Crisis Response Team, Victim Services, Medic, and CFD also responded to assist.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) will be the lead investigative agency in this incident.  As is standard procedure, the officer that fired their service weapon in this incident has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of a parallel investigation by the CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing.  As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD's Public Affairs Office.  

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to relay information.  The public can also leave information anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or Charlotte Crime Stoppers 

For additional information about this case, please refer to the report: 20230820-0755-01.

Tricia Cotham Targeted In Road Rage Attack

According to the "Local Paper" State Representative Tricia Cotham said an enraged woman screamed vulgarities at her mother and a son and swerved her car at them in a politically motivated case of road rage this week. 

The woman raised her middle finger at Cotham’s child and kept honking her horn as she swerved at them, the Mecklenburg County Republican said on Facebook Saturday. “She tried to run my family off the road and get them to hit her,” Cotham said, including a picture in her post of the angry driver’s Toyota Avalon and its license plate number. 

In the same Facebook post Saturday afternoon, Cotham included what she called unrelated, harassing comments by someone using a fake Facebook account under the pseudonym Moots Oots.

“Tricia Cotham’s children deserve know how she is a liar,” read the grammatically incorrect Moots Oots post. “She is a puppet that has destroyed democracy for her district.” The reference may have been in reaction to Cotham’s historic April 5 switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, which gave the GOP supermajority voting power in the General Assembly. 

Cotham replied to Moots Oots on Facebook: “Harassing and targeting my family is WRONG. You don’t like me, you come for me. ME! This post is just another example of the evil behavior we endure. 

So, ‘Moots,’ hiding behind a fake account? Bless.” Cotham’s mother is Pat Cotham, a Democratic Mecklenburg County at-large commissioner. The Cothams didn’t immediately return messages from "the local paper" on Saturday.

Tricia Cotham didn’t say on Facebook if she filed a police incident report in either case. She also didn’t name the road where her mom and child encountered the angry woman or how her mom managed to avoid running off the road. 

She also did not identify the son. On “X,” formerly Twitter, on Saturday, ex-NC GOP Chairman Dallas Woodhouse said Pat Cotham’s car “had the Cotham name on it and (the) driver apparently thought is was @triciacotham.” 

“This is so incredibly dangerous and disgusting,” said Woodhouse, now N.C. executive director of the conservative group American Majority.

Cedar's Take: This is a good time to remind the local demonicarts that North Carolina is a "Castle Doctrine" State:

If an intruder invades a person's space, the property owner can legally use deadly force against him or her, with no legal obligation to back down. This right extends not only to a person's home but also his or her vehicle and workplace under North Carolina law.

The same also applies to self defense in South Carolina. 

You might get away with a hard brake check but if you try to ram my car I will protect myself, my family and my children. I'd also advise not trying to open someone's car door or reach inside an open car window. 

Cotham switched political affiliations earlier this year. The life long democrat who on occasion voted against the party line had finally had enough of the endless vitriol hate and endless personal attacks. The majority in her district are moderates who voted for Republican Pat McCrory and then voted against him, they also voted for Trump in 2016 but voted for Biden in 2020. 

Remains up for debate if Cotham will try to retain her state senate seat or perhaps a run at something bigger.

As for Pat Cotham she's been a strong democrat who has also occasionally rocked the boat with a common sense approach to local politics. She has always been approachable and relentlessly engaged. You can often find her sitting alone at a fellow citizen's funeral usually unnoticed, often paying her respects to someone who she only knew as a fellow Charlottean.