HAWAIIAN PASSENGER SEXUALLY ASSAULTS WOMAN IN PLANE'S BATHROOM DURING FLIGHT TO JAPAN

A Hawaii man on an international flight sexually assaulted another passenger in the plane's bathroom — and only stopped when other passengers took the lavatory door off its hinges.Michael Tanouye, 29, was arraigned Tuesday for the Saturday attack. He faces interfering with a flight crew and aggravated sexual assault aboard an aircraft charges, Hawaii News Now reported.The Hilo man was onboard Japan Airlines Flight 791 from Honolulu to Japan with his mother when he barged into the plane's bathroom about two hours into the flight. Inside, he found the unidentified victim, who was traveling back home to Japan with her mom after a four-day vacation.Tanouye tried to undress the woman and then exposed himself to her.During their struggle, the woman pushed the bathroom's emergency call button, sending flight attendants and the woman's mother scurrying to the lavatory.They tried to open the door but couldn't because Tanouye was blocking it, police said.That's when the crew and some of the flight's other passengers began unscrewing the bathroom door's hinges. They finally broke inside and subdued Tanouye.The pilot immediately diverted the plane back to Honolulu. Tanouye's mother who said her son suffers from depression — gave him some of his medication, and he fell asleep on the way back to Hawaii, police said. FBI agents were waiting for him at the Honolulu airport.He is being held without bail. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for interfering with a flight crew and life in prison for aggravated sexual assault. With News Wire Services