A Metro Detroit man is facing federal charges after he attempted to open an exit door while on a flight headed to Detroit Metro Airport from Omaha, Nebraska.
Court documents reveal how the crew handled the disruptive passenger before the Skywest flight made an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
In a criminal complaint, FBI Special Agent Craig Pfeiler said that he received information about an “unruly passenger” on SkyWest flight 3612 on July 17, 2025.
When he responded to the Eastern Iowa Airport after the emergency landing, he discovered that the passenger who prompted the diversion was 23-year-old Mario Nikprelaj.
One-way ticket, no luggage
He had a one-way ticket from Omaha to Detroit and allegedly boarded the flight without any checked bags or carry-on luggage.
Xanax pills
At the time of his arrest, officials said they discovered hidden Xanax pills.
“Nikprelaj was carrying Xanax pills secreted beneath his scrotum at the time of his arrest,” according to the criminal complaint.
The captain of the flight revealed more details about the events leading up to Nikprelaj’s arrest in an interview with authorities.
The flight crew consisted of the two flight attendants and a first officer, in addition to the captain.
Captain notified about ‘unruly passenger’ in exit row
After the passengers boarded the plane, but while they were still at the gate, one of the flight attendants notified the captain about Nikprelaj, an “unruly passenger seated in the aircraft’s exit row.”
The captain told the FBI agent that the flight attendants “satisfactorily” controlled the situation, which had allowed the captain to move the aircraft from the gate to the runway.
‘Sterile period’
The time between the plane getting to the runway and reaching 10,000 feet in the air was described as a “sterile period,” which means that no nonemergency communications were allowed between the flight attendants and the captain, according to the complaint.
During that time, the captain told authorities that he received a “nonemergency call indication” from the flight attendants that he did not answer.
Disruptive passenger flips off flight attendants
Once at 10,000 feet, the captain learned that Nikprelaj had left his seat and had “flipped off” the two flight attendants.
After that, he allegedly returned to his seat and looked like he would fall asleep, according to the complaint.
Due to receiving this information, the captain continued the flight.
When the plane was about 20 miles from Cedar Rapids, the captain received an emergency call from one of the flight attendants.
Attempt to open emergency door
The flight attendant told him that Nikprelaj was trying to open the emergency exit door and was fighting with other passengers.
The captain made an emergency call to air traffic control to notify them that he was planning to make an emergency landing at the Eastern Iowa Airport.
Physical fight, threats against flight attendant
About five minutes after making the call, the captain learned that Nikprelaj was still trying to open the emergency exit door and was fighting with the other flight attendant.
The flight attendant told authorities that during the altercation, Nikprelaj “pushed and threatened to kill” them.
A passenger saw Nikprelaj grab the flight attendant’s arm when he was told to go back to his seat, and Nikprelaj later told police that “he smacked flight attendant 1’s hand away when flight attendant 1 attempted to block Nikprelaj from walking down the aisle during a portion of the flight when he was required to be seated.”
Passengers help subdue unruly passenger
“Using the aircraft’s public address system, the captain instructed passengers to remain seated and follow the flight attendant’s instructions,” according to the criminal complaint. “The captain instructed any passengers willing and able to assist the flight attendants to subdue Nikprelaj.”
Three passengers helped subdue Nikprelaj, and the flight landed at the airport about 15 minutes later.
Passengers notices red flags before emergency landing
“I looked back and there are several people waving frantically, and a gentleman is trying to open the door,” said Jonathan Spencer VanderWaarden, who captured the unruly passenger’s arrest on cellphone video. “He was definitely not of his right mind.”
VanderWaarden, who confronted the suspect on the flight, said he noticed Nikprelaj acting strangely even before they boarded. He said at first he thought he had been drinking because he appeared disheveled and had a blank expression on his face.
Instructions ignored
Then, when they were on the plane, VanderWaarden said, Nikprelaj would not listen to flight instructions.
“I could hear the flight attendant have to repeat herself several times,” he said.
VanderWaarden said Nikprelaj wouldn’t sit down at one point, and had a confrontation with an elderly flight attendant.
“That gentleman did a pretty good job. He was a little undersized against this guy,” he said.
VanderWaarden said at one point, he looked back at Nikprelaj, and “he didn’t have his shoes on or his shirt on.”
Then, while in the exit row, VanderWaarden said Nikprelaj tried to open the door mid-flight. Crew members and passengers stepped in to stop him.
Passenger blocks Nikprelaj from heading to front of plane
VanderWaarden said Nikprelaj then tried to go to the front of the plane. VanderWaarden said he stepped into the aisle to block his path.
“[Nikprelaj] slapped my arm out of the way,” VanderWaarden said. Adding that Nikprelaj yelled, ‘Don’t touch me, my mama doesn’t touch me this way.’
“You could feel the plane start to descend aggressively,” VanderWaarden said. “You could feel the pressure in your ears.”
Nikprelaj was then arrested and arraigned Friday. A Linn County judge gave him a $10,000 bond and a no-contact order.
Previous criminal history
It turns out Nikprelaj has a history of taking off his shirt — and committing crimes. Police previously caught up with him in 2020, and in other incidents, for breaking and entering, burglary, assault, forgery, domestic violence, and resisting police.
SkyWest Statement
The Delta connection flight was operated by SkyWest Airlines, which released this statement:
“SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly behavior as safety for our customers and crew is our top priority.”
Echoing that message, VanderWaarden said the flight crews were professional and courageous in a very stressful situation.