Air traffic controller who misdirected Michelle Obama’s plane is charged in meth case

[n2doc]

A veteran air traffic controller responsible for two highly-publicized mishaps — one involving a plane carrying first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the other a plane with a Wisconsin congressman on board — has been arrested in New York after police said they found him with a gun in his car and methamphetamine in his pants pocket.

Breen Peck, 52, was transferred from the Warrenton, Va., air traffic control facility several years ago after the two troubling incidents came to light. After retraining, he was assigned to administrative duties at the facility that directs planes in and out of New York city airports. He was not, however, permitted to return to directing air traffic. The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that it was investigating the circumstances related to Peck’s arrest.

Peck was arrested Wednesday night and arraigned Thursday in Hempstead, N.Y., on charges of criminal possession of a gun and possession of a controlled substance. He also was cited for a number of traffic violations.

Nassau county police said they pulled over Peck’s 2010 Toyota after he failed to signal a left turn. They said he told them that he had a loaded handgun behind the driver’s seat and another in the rear cargo area and did not have a permit. After they arrested him, police said they discovered a substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine in his front pants pocket.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/12/10/air-traffic-controller-who-misdirected-michelle-obamas-plane-is-charged-in-meth-case/

[malaise]

1. While they're busy checking us at airports

they might one to do some checks on those who control these aircraft from the ground.

Unfuggingbelievable!!

[madokie]

3. meth is a scrooge that needs to be dealt with seriously like

It destroys and it kills and not necessarily in that order. Nothing good comes from it. I was gassing up my truck yesterday evening and the guy at the pump across from me was as high as a kite and I'm mean tweeking his ass off. I can spot a tweeker a mile away. I thank my lucky stars I never liked that shit so it never made it from one hit to a habit for me.

[malaise]

10. Agreed

Heroin is also another deadly one that is destroying lots of young men and women.

Still how does a meth user remain in these jobs - don't they test employees in these jobs or at least pick up this crap in medicals.

Guess they only have resources to test welfare recipients.

[Major Nikon]

14. According to the article he wasn't working as a controller and hadn't been for years

Controllers are required to take the same medical exams that pilots do, but they don't test for drugs. I suspect the FAA has their own drug testing program, but since this guy wasn't talking to pilots and hadn't been for years there may have been no need to test him.

[malaise]

16. Thanks Major Nikon

[liberal N proud]

2. Is the one of the good guys with a gun?

Sounds like a real nice guy, NOT!

[yeoman6987]

4. He is an addict. He could still be a nice guy.

[hunter]

11. Odds are good he started meth to cope with his crappy boring high stress job.

That never ends well, be you a night manager at the stop-and-rob quick market or an air traffic controller.

[JesterCS]

18. Was thinking atcs work long hours and always seem

Under staffed. Perhaps he felt he needed something to keep him awake. Still, root cause being stress and exhaustion

[hunter]

5. Thank you, Ronald Reagan for breaking the air traffic controllers union..

...and replacing them with many venal wankers and meat puppets such as himself.

http://www.alternet.org/story/154595/how_ronald_reagan_broke_the_air_traffic_controllers_union--and_why_that_fight_still_matters

[liberal N proud]

7. Another fine mess as a result of the Ronald Reagan Presidency

You can trace most problems this country has back to policy set during the Reagan years.

They worked very hard for 12 years (includes poppy bush) to fuck things up.

[Blue_Tires]

8. +1

[Major Nikon]

12. PATCO was one of two unions that endorsed Saint Ronnie

Controllers have been unionized for decades, and they have a maximum age in which they can work. I seriously doubt if very many PATCO replacements are still working as controllers.

[yeoman6987]

15. Lol. I doubt anyone is still working 35 years later from reagans changing of personnel.

Funny though.

[hunter]

17. It did change the culture of the place, however.

Nobody has secure jobs anymore, not even big money CEO's.

But the big money CEO's have something nobody else does. When they get fired for destroying a corporation and its culture they walk away with suitcases full of money and are soon rehired by by the oligarchy to start the cycle all over again. They may even be encouraged to run for high political office.

Carly Fiorina.

[fredamae]

6. Inexcusable....

Fix the Fkg System! OMG!

[Blue_Tires]

9. That's sad...

I just hope that dude can get clean and turn his life around, since at one time he must have been a very competent worker at his job...

[Iggo]

13. Luckily, they caught him before he killed someone.

Only one life to fix.