ORLANDO, Fla. – The New Jersey woman who appeared in a viral video riding a motorized suitcase through Orlando International Airport while being pursued by a police officer has been re-arrested on a warrant, court records show.
Chelsea Alston, 32, was scheduled to go on trial in March on felony charges of battering a law enforcement officer and criminal mischief.
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When Alston failed to show up for her trial, a judge issued a warrant for her arrest.
Alston was originally arrested in April 2021 following an incident that was captured by an Orlando police officer’s body-worn video camera.
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After airline workers barred Alston from boarding a plane because she appeared intoxicated, Alston left the gate area riding a motorized suitcase as the officer followed behind her on a bicycle.
“We’re going to have a bike pursuing a suitcase in a minute,” Officer Andrew Mamone said as he tried to catch up to Alston and escort her out of a secured area of the airport.
Mamone later arrested Alston after she allegedly spit on the officer. Alston is also accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage to his patrol car.
See our previous coverage below.
Alston has pleaded not guilty to the felony charges, which each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison if she is convicted.
Before Alston’s trial was scheduled to begin in March, prosecutors offered her a plea deal that would have spared her any additional jail time beyond the 20 days Alston served immediately after her arrest.
Under the proposed plea agreement, Alston would have been placed on supervised probation for two years. She also would have been required to pay $1,222 in restitution to the Orlando Police Department and take an anger management course.
Alston turned down that plea offer because she did not want to serve probation, her attorney told the judge.
When Alston failed to show up for her scheduled jury trial on March 23, the judge issued a warrant for Alston’s arrest.
Alston was taken into custody in North Brunswick, New Jersey and transported to the Orange County jail where she is being held without bond, court records show.