Miss USA 1994 and Miss Universe 1994 Finalist Frances Louise Parker was arrested after a passenger accused her of taking headphones during security screening at Los Angeles International Airport, officials said.
Lu Parker, who is now KTLA news anchor (KTLA, channel 5, is a CW-affiliated television station located in Los Angeles, California) was booked on suspicion of petty theft and is being held at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division.
According to an article of Los Angeles Times, the incident occurred about 7 a.m., when a passenger walking through the Transportation Security Administration screening area in Terminal 6 noticed a personal belonging was missing, said Officer Robert Pedregon, a spokesman for Los Angeles Airport Police. (KTLA said in a statement that the situation was the result of a “misunderstanding.”)
When officers arrived at the screening area, the passenger told them what had happened and asked to perform a private person’s arrest, Pedregon said. Such an arrest is usually made when no on-duty officer witnessed the offense.
Security video also showed the incident and a potential suspect, Pedregon said.
Parker, 48, of West Hollywood, was then removed from a flight and arrested, authorities said.
According to KTLA, Parker was going through the security line and noticed that a pair of earbud headphones had been left behind.
“She picked them up intending to return them to the owner whom she had been speaking with while in line to clear TSA,” KTLA said in a statement.
But Parker couldn’t find the headphones' owner, so she boarded her flight, according to KTLA.
“We believe this is a misunderstanding, Lu is cooperating fully with the authorities and we are confident she will be able to clear this all up,” KTLA said.
Parker was traveling to visit her father who is ill, the news station said.
Lu Parker competed in the 1994 Miss Universe Pageant in Manila, Philippines, where she placed among the top 6 finalists and finished 4th overall. She was also one of the judges in this year's Miss USA.
source : LA Times