If Eder Rojas spent as much time in federal court as he does updating his MySpace page, we'd probably be able to clear up whether he's "iNoCeNt" or guilty of setting fire to a Compass Airlines plane on the way to Regina, Saskatchewan on May 7.
The fugitive former flight attendant was supposed to appear in US District Court in Fargo earlier this month but instead disappeared from his halfway house.
Maybe he's "ExciTeD!!!" because cops haven't tracked him down yet?
Update:Here's the bench warrant issued for Rojas' arrest. And here it is as a PDF!
ZOMG. We thought Eder Rojas' decision to abscond from his halfway house just before his trial in Fargo was proof enough that he has trouble making smart decisions. But that was before he logged into MySpace while on the run from the law today.
Last seen in the wee hours of September 5, Rojas--who's been accused of setting fire to a Compass Airlines jet flying between Minneapolis and Regina, Saskatchewan--was supposed to make an appearance at US District Court in Fargo on the morning of September 8. He didn't, and he's been on the lam since--though wherever he is, he apparently has internet access.
Eder Rojas, a 19-year-old former Compass Airlines flight attendant accused of starting a fire in an airplane's lavatory while in flight, has slipped away from a Fargo halfway house and skipped a court appearance that was scheduled for Friday. Authorities have no idea where he is, but if there was any doubt in the court of public opinion that Rojas has a couple of screws loose in his noggin and shouldn't have a position of authority on an aircraft, it's pretty much gone now. Just like Rojas.
The charges stem from a May 7 flight from Minneapolis to Regina, during which Rojas allegedly used a lighter to set fire to some paper towels in the plane's lavatory because he was upset at having to work the route. The fire was extinguished and the plane diverted to Fargo with no injuries but plenty of white knuckles. You don't want a fire on your airplane.
It makes us wonder, were there no warning signs during his hiring and training process of his (allegedly) unstable mind? Did anybody in the chain of command get a feeling that Rojas was a little bit "off" and might not be the best fit for a job in which people's lives are on the line every day? We're 100% behind every measure that protects people from workplace bias, but in a position where so much is on the line, we'd hope that any glimmer of destructive behavior in a candidate would be addressed aggressively.
After allegedly setting fire to an aircraft, Eder Rojas was released into his father's custody to await trial in the case. But instead of keep a low profile, he's reportedly violated the terms of his release by contacting a former co-worker via email.
He's now been remanded to a halfway house in Fargo, North Dakota until his trail starts September 8. Assuming he's allowed to use the computer while there, we expect to see his Myspace "mood" updated soon. What's the emoticon for terminally foolish?
He may be facing charges in Fargo for setting fire to his plane's lavatory, but flight attendant Eder Rojas knows how the criminal justice system works. That's why he's updated his Myspace page to read:
iM BaCk iNoCeNt UnTiL PrOvEn GuiLtY!!!
His current mood is angry, but things could be worse. The judge in his case decided to release him into his father's custody instead of remanding him until his trial starts on July 21. Rojas will be facing a maximum penalty of 20 years for allegedly setting a fire in the lav of his Compass Airlines flight on May 7.
We're looking forward to some live Myspace trail-blogging!
A flight attendant for Northwest subsidiary Compass Airlines set fire to his plane on May 7, according to authorities. Eder Rojas was apparently so mad that he got assigned the flight between Minneapolis and Regina, Saskatchewan that he sneaked a lighter past security and used it to spark up some paper towels in the lavatory while in flight. After smoke filled the cabin, he apparently had second thoughts and extinguished the flames with the help of another FA and a passenger.
Pilot Steve Peterka managed to put the plane down safely in Fargo, North Dakota. Only later did investigators find the lighter and get suspicious. Now Rojas is facing up to 20 years if convicted of starting the fire.
So in the wake of these charges being made public, how does he feel? According to Myspace: Anxious!
Since we're not friends with him on Facebook, we can't figure out if he's also lying about his age on that site: On Myspace he's 21, but court papers list him as 19. What we can tell you, though, that he's part of the Robert Morris College network. Let's go, Eagles!
The self-proclaimed hottie thinks "Southwest Sucks," even though the airline tossed her for verbally brawling with another passenger. And from the looks of it, she's switching to JetBlue.
Only one problem with that. JetBlue doesn't fly from Tampa to Los Angeles, unless you're willing to do Tampa-JFK-Long Beach. That's a brutal connection to make, even if you're doing it to avoid flight attendants who are jealous of your good looks.
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by pbb
