Ex-Lions player arrested for urinating on passenger during Boston to Dublin flight
DETROIT, MI - CIRCA 2010: In this photo provided by the NFL, Gosder Cherilus of the Detroit Lions poses for his 2010 NFL headshot circa 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)
FOX 2 - A former Detroit Lions first-round pick is accused of drunkenly hitting one man and urinating on another during a flight from Boston to Dublin.
Gosder Cherilus was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, the Massachusetts State Police said Monday.
Cherilus, 40, was the last first-round pick made by ex-Lions team president Matt Millen in 2008 out of Boston College. Cherilus was a non-descript starter at right tackle who later left in 2013 for the Colts before finishing his career in 2017 with the Bucs.
Troopers ordered the 40-year-old from Wakefield, near Boston, to leave the plane but he "became irate and uncooperative," police said. He was then arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew.
According to the police report, he appeared drunk when he boarded the plane, allegedly argued with the flight crew about his seat and an hour into the flight urinated on an elderly passenger. He then hit another passenger and took that passenger’s seat before passing out, the report says.
He was arrested early Sunday after the Delta Air Lines flight returned to Logan International Airport.
In a post Monday on the social platform X, Cherilus apologized to the passengers and flight crew, saying he had taken a sleeping medication that he doesn’t normally use and that this caused his bad behavior.
A phone number could not be found for Cherilus. The Globe reports that he and his attorney, Brian Sullivan, did not speak to reporters as they left the court.
In a statement Monday, Delta confirmed there had been an "unruly customer" on the flight and that the other passengers were later flown to Dublin. The airline did not say how long the flight was delayed.
"Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior and will cooperate with law enforcement to that end," the company said in a statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel."
--The Associated Press contributed to this report.
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 16: Gosder Cherilus #77 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass block against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 16, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)