NORFOLK, Va. — A 47-year-old man has been charged after authorities say he assaulted passengers and crew members on a Breeze Airways flight from Norfolk to Los Angeles Wednesday, forcing it to divert to Grand Junction, Colo.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Friday that David Leroy Carver Jr., of Los Angeles, is charged by criminal complaint with interfering with flight crew members and attendants during the Aug. 13 flight.

According to the criminal complaint, Carver made inappropriate sexual comments and racial slurs toward a flight attendant. When a passenger told him to stop, Carver allegedly threatened to hit the passenger and spat chewing tobacco from his mouth into the passenger’s face.