Phone call prompts flight search, delay

ALEXANDRIA, La. — At least one plane was delayed this weekend at Alexandria International Airport after authorities received a call that a woman would try to board with a gun.

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But a spokesman for the Rapides Parish sheriff's office said the claim was untrue, that the search of a plane and its passengers turned up no weapons Saturday and that the man who made the call was arrested.

Wardell Winbush, of Alexandria, was booked on a charge of terrorizing, Sgt. Tracy Bellino said. He remained in custody Sunday.

"He was our complainant," Bellino said. "He said a person would be armed with a handgun, and we shut the plane down and after searching it, we found out that was not a true statement."

Bellino said the plane, bound for Dallas, was delayed about 90 minutes.