Police: Traveler arrested, pepper sprayed at OIA after fight with employee

An intoxicated traveler at Orlando International Airport was arrested Sunday after police said he fought a JetBlue employee, then stripped an Orlando officer of his radio and ammunition — all while his 8-year-old son stood nearby, according to an arrest affidavit.

A JetBlue employee told police he witnessed a woman near Gate 3 yelling at Brandon Strong, 45, telling him to leave her alone. She said Strong was calling her an inappropriate name, according to the affidavit.

When Strong, of Utah, was told by the JetBlue employee he wouldn’t be able to travel, he stood up with all his luggage and walked toward the gate door, “stumbling” as he went, the employee told police.

When the employee asked where he was going, Strong confronted and tried to grab him, and the two began to wrestle.

The employee was pulled away and taken to a break room, he told police, according to the affidavit.

When an officer arrived and told Strong to drop his bags, the man refused, the affidavit shows.

After the officer said he grabbed Strong’s wrist to walk him toward the gate, Strong told him “bad things would happen” if he didn’t let go, police said.

Despite multiple warnings, the officer said Strong refused to comply with his demands, prompting the officer to use pepper spray, according to the affidavit.

While struggling to place the man in handcuffs, the officer said Strong pulled off his radio and removed the extra magazines from his vest, according to the affidavit.

“These actions deprived me of my means of communication for back up and having any back up ammunition,” the officer said in the affidavit.

Strong was eventually fitted into handcuffs with the help of other travelers and a JetBlue supervisor, police said. While on the ground, Strong yelled, “where is the NAACP?” according to the affidavit.

He continued to be combative as another officer came to help, police said.

While walking out of the terminal, Strong tripped an officer, landing himself and the officer “face first” on the floor, the affidavit shows.

After they got back up, police said Strong fell to his knees again and asked for his 8-year-old, before saying he was going to defecate in his pants, according to the affidavit.

Police said they had to carry Strong out of the airport.

The man’s child, who witnessed the incident, was tended to by JetBlue employees, who later called another family member to pick him up, according to the affidavit.

En route to the jail, police said Strong called the JetBlue employee who he fought “Paul Blart Mall Cop” and threatened to “come after him with everything he’s got.”

Strong claimed he had White House connections because he worked as a contractor at Utah’s Hill Air Force Base, police said.

He was booked on a slew of charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer, depriving an officer means of protection or communication, resisting an officer with violence, resisting an officer without violence, child neglect, disorderly intoxication and battery.

Strong remains held at the Orange County Jail.