Charged With Creating A Disturbance On An Airplane

The 23-year-old wife of a 69-year-old Canadian Senator was released from custody Monday after being arrested last Thursday on charges of creating a disturbance on an airplane and threatening her husband.

Maygan Sensenberger was arrested at the John G. Diefenbaker International Airport in Saskatoon, Canada. During the flight, Senator Rod Zimmer, who was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2005, reportedly began experiencing tightness in his chest. Reports differ about how Sensenberger, who married Zimmer a year ago, reacted to the situation. According to the Calgary Herald, passengers on the plane said she was upset about her husband's condition, and Scott Wright, a former ambulance attendant who was on the flight and offered assistance, testified at a court appearance she was "emotionally distraught," but that he did not feel threatened. He said the couple was arguing about Zimmer's condition, but that he did not feel threatened.

Zimmer was administered oxygen, and began to feel better, and the flight continued on to Saskatoon rather than divert to a closer airport. Wright said that Sensenberger had snapped at some other passengers during the incident, and the "odd profanity" was used, but that the only real conflict he observed was between the husband and wife as he tried to calm her down.

The CBC reports that Sensenberger was charged because she reportedly was shouting and swearing and threatened to "take down the aircraft," but witnesses did not corroborate that account. Wright did say that he heard Sensenberger say "he's going to die on the plane."

On her release Monday, the court barred any contact between Sensenberger and Zimmer, and ordered her to abstain from alcohol and "stay out of bars." Zimmer was allowed to give a credit card to Sensenberger's attorney so that she could rent a hotel room. Her next appearance in court was scheduled for Tuesday.

FMI: www.sasklawcourts.ca