- Joseph Johnson, 29, charged with disarming an officer at the Salt Lake airport.
- Johnson is accused of stealing a backpack, resisting arrest and attempting to grab an officer's gun.
SALT LAKE CITY — A man is accused of taking a traveler's backpack and trying to take an officer's gun at the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Joseph Johnson, 29, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with disarming an officer, a first-degree felony; theft, a third-degree felony; interfering with a police officer, a class B misdemeanor; and public intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
According to police, Johnson bumped into a traveler while in the Delta Sky Club lounge at the airport and was asked to leave the area by others at the table. He left but then returned and bumped into the same man again. The staff at the lounge asked Johnson to leave, according to the charges.
The man Johnson bumped into decided to leave the lounge and wait by his gate. At this point, he realized his backpack, with $4,000 worth of valuables inside, was gone, investigators said.
Lounge staff contacted the police to help with Johnson. Officers arrived and told Johnson to leave. He then left the lounge with the other man's backpack, the charges state. An officer found Johnson and took the backpack.
The officer attempted to speak with Johnson, "but could not have a coherent conversation due to Johnson's level of intoxication. Johnson's behavior started escalating and he refused to follow commands," police said.
The officer detained Johnson, who began resisting and getting into the fetal position on the ground. Johnson attempted to walk away and refused to follow commands, the charges allege. Another officer came to assist.
The officers tried to get Johnson to sit in a chair. At this point, the charges say Johnson turned around and grabbed one of the officer's firearms. Johnson pulled so hard that it raised the officer's belt, police said. Other officers arrived, and Johnson was placed in a wrap restraint.
