United Express pilots' hearing reset

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff

A hearing for two airline pilots who were arrested Sept. 26 after one of them allegedly "mooned" northbound traffic on Alcoa Highway was reset to 9 a.m. Thursday.

Jeffrey Leon Saltis, 43, Pittsburgh, Pa., was accused of pulling his shorts down and mooning northbound traffic on Alcoa Highway while under the influence of an intoxicant. He was charged by Alcoa police officers with public intoxication and indecent exposure.

Michael Cody Etzel, 25, Richmond, Va., was charged with public intoxication following the incident.

Neither defendant appeared at the hearing on Monday, but Etzel's attorney appeared on his behalf. Etzel is being represented by Jonathan D. Cooper and Saltis is being represented by Joe Costner, who did not appear at the hearing.

Blount County Assistant District Attorney General Rocky Young told Judge William R. Brewer that he had spoken to someone at Costner's office and they agreed to reset the case to Alcoa's criminal docket to 9 a.m. Thursday in Brewer's courtroom. Cooper agreed to the hearing date and time.

Young said he did not anticipate a hearing on Thursday and said they would probably be dealing with "scheduling" for the case. He said he did not anticipate that Etzel and Saltis would be present for Thursday's hearing.

Both suspended

Both men are employees for United Express, affiliated with Trans States Airlines. A spokesperson for Trans States Airlines confirmed after the arrests that two employees, who are pilots, were suspended from flight status following the incident.

Cooper said Etzel had been suspended but there had not been "final termination."

According to earlier reports from the Alcoa Police Department, officers responded to a call of an intoxicated subject at El Sazon Mexicano Restaurant, 2650 Alcoa Highway, at 6:31 p.m. Sept. 26.

They were told by dispatchers that one of the men became irate with the restaurant's manager after employees refused to serve him more alcoholic beverages. The suspect was also accused of attempting to start a physical confrontation with management and employees.

While approaching the area, Officer Dustin Cook said he observed Saltis pulling his shorts down and mooning northbound traffic on Alcoa Highway. Officers reported that they saw Etzel walking with a female in front of Applebee's. The female was attempting to take a picture of Saltis as he mooned traffic, the report said.

Officers reported that Saltis became "irate and verbally abusive with officers," following the incident. They said that Saltis told hem that he had an early morning flight and he hoped they were happy because "50 people's flight would be delayed because of (Officer Cook)."

Both men were arrested and officers notified United Expresss of the situation.

Representatives from local media outlets filled the benches in the courtroom audience on Monday, along with a camera crew for Inside Edition, which is produced daily in New York City by CBS Television Distribution.