 By Jim Bainbridge/ProRodeo.com
Clay O’Brien Cooper normally does his best work with a rope in his hands. As it turns out, he’s also a pretty fair bulldogger.
Cooper helped subdue a passenger May 2 on Delta commuter flight 4620 from Helena, Mont., to Salt Lake City after the man tried to force his way into the cockpit, saying he was a space alien and that he wanted to fly the plane.
“The flight attendant asked for help,” Cooper said, “so I came up behind the guy and grabbed him by both arms. I told him, ‘you need to come with me,’ and I took him to a seat in an empty row and told him to put on his seat belt and stay there. He didn’t struggle at all.”
The flight was immediately diverted to the airport in Twin Falls, Idaho, where air marshals boarded the 50-seat plane, arrested Matthew Kleindorfer, 32, and took statements from the passengers and crew.
Twin Falls police Sgt. Phil Grimes said Kleindorfer kicked an officer twice while being taken into custody. Kleindorfer, of Las Vegas, faces a felony charge of battery on an officer in addition to misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest.
Additional charges are pending, pertaining to his erratic behavior on the plane. He is in jail in lieu of a $20,000 bond.
“A lot of things are going through your mind in a situation like that,” Cooper said. “You don’t know if he is going to try to open the main cabin door or if he’s going to turn violent. Then survival mode kicks in, and you know you have to get control of things or it will turn out badly.”
Cooper and header Jake Barnes, who won seven team roping world championships together, were on the flight, making their way home after conducting a roping school in Helena over the weekend.
For more on the story, purchase the May 14 ProRodeo Sports News, THE Voice of ProRodeo! magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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