46-year-old Marina Verbitsky of Chicago was running late for her plane on JetBlue Airlines when things went bad. Police say she swore at employees at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when they told her she'd arrived too late to board the plane Monday night. When she was told her checked luggage was already on the plane, she claimed it contained a bomb!
Authorities had to stop the aircraft, which was already on the runway preparing to take off. They evacuated the passengers and searched the luggage and plane for explosives. However, no bombs were found.
Afterward, Marina was taken to jail on one count of false reporting concerning an explosive, carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Her bond was set at $10,000 by a judge, and she was also ordered to have a mental health evaluation.
Relatives say Verbitsky was worried about her son missing school. "It was a mistake," a relative says, "She was nervous about her son needing to go to school. It was a mess, but it was definitely not meant to be."
Her husband and son, who arrived at the boarding gate with her, were not charged.
Julie's Take: It's never a good idea to make rash decisions when you're angry. She should have just tried to catch the next flight. Obviously, telling the employees her luggage contained a bomb just delayed her trip further. Kindness and patience will take you far in life! If you've made a bad decision or mistake like this, make sure you speak with a lawyer about your legal options. My door is always open!
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