The lawsuit claims that, over the course of the flight, Lorenzo repeatedly harassed the plaintiff, dropping the phone on the floor between her legs, lifting the armrest between them, grazing her leg, and placing his head near her crotch. In another incident, he allegedly dropped his phone between his own legs before asking the 20-year-old woman to retrieve it for him.
A 20-year-old woman has filed a lawsuit accusing Southwest Airlines of failing to protect her from a clearly intoxicated passenger who later sexually assaulted her during a flight.
According to KIRO-7, the incident occurred on August 9, 2024, aboard Southwest Flight 3548 from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state to Sacramento, California.
Attorneys for the plaintiff say that she was assigned a middle seat between Jeff Lorenzo and one of Lorenzo’s colleagues. The lawsuit claims that Lorenzo was visibly intoxicated during boarding; he reportedly began drinking before arriving to Seattle-Tacoma International, then continued at an airport bar and restaurant. Aboard the aircraft, flight attendants allegedly served Lorenzo at least two more alcoholic beverages.
The lawsuit claims that, over the course of the flight, Lorenzo repeatedly harassed the plaintiff, dropping the phone on the floor between her legs, lifting the armrest between them, grazing her leg, and placing his head near her crotch. In another incident, he allegedly dropped his phone between his own legs before asking the 20-year-old woman to retrieve it for him.
The frequency and duration of the contact, attorneys say, should have been evidence to Southwest staff aboard the aircraft.
“We filed a lawsuit against both the offender who sexually assaulted our 20-year-old client and the airline,” said Mark Lindquist, an attorney representing the woman. “Southwest not only let this drunk board the plane, but kept serving him alcohol.”
The lawsuit notes that Lorenzo has since pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of simple assault. As part of his plea deal, he admitted that he was heavily intoxicated before boarding the plane, consumed “at least” two alcoholic beverages after boarding, and repeatedly extended his arm across the plaintiff’s chest in an attempt to feel her body.
“Under Federal Aviation Administration rules,” Lindquist said, “airlines cannot let intoxicated people board the plane. That is for obvious reasons, which is drunks pose a safety threat.”
Sources
Passenger files lawsuit against Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines sued for negligence after alleged in-flight sexual assault
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