Southwest Airlines sued for negligence after alleged in-flight sexual assault on flight from Seattle to Sacramento

A 20-year-old woman has filed a negligence lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, alleging the carrier failed to protect her from an intoxicated passenger who sexually assaulted her during a flight.

The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, aboard Southwest Flight 3548, from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Sacramento, according to the complaint.

The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman, was assigned a middle seat between a man identified in court documents as Jeff Lorenzo and one of his coworkers. The complaint alleged Lorenzo was visibly intoxicated by the time he boarded the aircraft after drinking before arriving at SEA and continuing to consume alcohol at an airport bar and restaurant, where he allegedly had several beers and a “couple of shots.”

Despite his alleged intoxication and difficulty following the boarding process, including repeatedly attempting to board with the wrong group, the lawsuit claimed Southwest allowed Lorenzo to board and seated the young woman next to him. Once on board, flight attendants allegedly served him at least two additional alcoholic beverages, and he became increasingly intoxicated during the flight.

The complaint stated that during the flight Lorenzo repeatedly touched the plaintiff’s body without her consent. It alleged he dropped his phone on the floor between her legs, lifted the armrest between them, grazed her leg, and placed his head near her crotch. In another instance, he allegedly dropped his phone between his own legs and asked her to retrieve it, which would have put her face near his crotch. He is also accused of repeatedly lifting the armrest and encroaching on her personal space.

The complaint asserted that the frequency and duration of this conduct meant Southwest’s flight attendants knew or should have known what was happening.

Attorney says Southwest Airlines ignored federal rules on intoxicated passengers

Seattle aviation attorney Mark Lindquist represents the plaintiff.

“We filed a lawsuit against both the offender who sexually assaulted our 20-year-old client and the airline,” Lindquist said. “Southwest not only let this drunk board the plane, but kept serving him alcohol.”

The complaint noted that Lorenzo has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of simple assault. In his plea, he is said to have admitted he was intoxicated before boarding, that he consumed at least two additional alcoholic beverages during the Southwest flight, and that he repeatedly extended his arm across the victim’s chest and pressed into her breasts outside her clothing.

Lindquist said federal rules around intoxicated passengers are clear and are meant to protect everyone on board.

“Under Federal Aviation Administration rules, airlines cannot let intoxicated people board the plane,” he said. “That is for obvious reasons, which is drunks pose a safety threat.”

Lawsuit claims Southwest failed to train staff despite federal warnings

The lawsuit argued Southwest was on notice about the dangers of in-flight sexual misconduct. It cited congressional action, including the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force, FBI alerts, and media reports documenting a “disturbing uptick” in sexual assaults on airplanes.

Despite these warnings, Southwest is accused of failing to properly train employees to identify, prevent, and respond to in-flight sexual assaults, particularly involving intoxicated passengers.

The complaint also alleged the airline failed to follow its own policies and federal law regarding the boarding of intoxicated passengers and the overservice of alcohol, creating a foreseeable risk of harm to the plaintiff and others on the flight.

As a common carrier, the lawsuit contends, Southwest owes passengers the highest duty of care and has a legal obligation to provide a flight environment free from assaults, including sexual assaults, by other passengers. By allowing Lorenzo to board in an allegedly intoxicated state, serving him more alcohol, and failing to intervene, the airline is accused of breaching that duty.

Southwest Airlines has not yet responded to the allegations in the complaint, and no trial date has been set.

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