Marine Veteran Is A Hero On Frontier Flight From Denver To Memphis

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," they say. And such was the case Tuesday on a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Memphis, when a passenger created some commotion soon after the flight departed DIA.

Shortly after takeoff, a passenger attempted to open an emergency exit door at the rear of the aircraft, creating chaos amidst fellow 118 passengers and six crew on board.

According to 9News, one passenger who heard the commotion and sprang into action was Timothy Leatherwood, a Marine veteran who was hoping for a smooth flight and got more than he bargained for.

After settling in, he noticed someone make a run for the rear of the aircraft and heard a flight attendant scream, so he jumped out of his seat and made his way to the back of the plane where he discovered another passenger trying to open the emergency exit door.

Leatherwood and other passengers managed to get the culprit off the door and pin him to the ground while the cockpit was notified. The pilot promptly turned the plane around and headed back to Denver, where it landed without incident.

Denver Police arrested the man as soon as the plane arrived and the staff on board the Frontier flight were quick to praise Leatherwood and the other passengers who assisted during the emergency.

On one of the rare occasions where applause upon landing is acceptable, the passengers clapped their hands once the plane landed - and the pilot even acknowledged the passengers who stepped in by saying "Our best friends are in the back of the airplane—would you give them a round of applause?"