Passenger takes it all off, plane turns around

This picture shot by a passenger aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 947 shows Alameda County Sheriff's deputies arresting a man who allegedly exposed himself to his female seat-mate, punched her when she screamed, and then stripped off all of his clothes as flight attendants and other passengers tried to subdue him. less This picture shot by a passenger aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 947 shows Alameda County Sheriff's deputies arresting a man who allegedly exposed himself to his female seat-mate, punched her when she ... more Photo: Danielle Lichliter, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Danielle Lichliter, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Passenger takes it all off, plane turns around 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Las Vegas was turned around Thursday after a man allegedly exposed himself to his female seatmate, punched her when she screamed, then stripped off all of his clothes as flight attendants and passengers subdued him.

The man was arrested, and the woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injuries, said Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson. Her condition was not known.

Darius Chappille, 21, of Jefferson City, Mo., who also has an Oakland address, was arrested and taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland for medical clearance. He was expected to be booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Chappille had an outstanding arrest warrant on drug-related charges in Jefferson City, Nelson said.

Chappille and the female passenger apparently did not know each other, authorities said.

The incident happened aboard Southwest Flight 947, which has a scheduled departure from Oakland of 7:15 a.m. An e-mail account from a passenger on the flight, forwarded to The Chronicle, said the incident occurred about a half hour after takeoff.

Flight attendants subdued Chappille, pinning him face-down on the floor, and enlisted the help of passengers in case he tried to escape, the passenger said.

About 10 sheriff's deputies boarded the plane when it touched down in Oakland at 8:15 a.m., the e-mail message said, and Chappille was arrested without incident.

Southwest officials said the plane took off for Las Vegas again at 10 a.m. It was scheduled to continue on to St. Louis.