Kansas City Royals minor leaguer, Darnel Collins, was arrested following repeated instances of unruly behavior on a nine-hour flight from the Netherlands to Salt Lake City on January 21st. The outfield prospect reportedly travels between the Netherlands and the United States during the off-season, as he holds residency in Surprise, Arizona. He was detained immediately upon the landing of his flight in Utah. Collins, 19, was signed by the Royals out of the Netherlands as an international free agent. He is the brother of fellow Royals minor leaguer, Darryl Collins.

Reports from ABC4 News in Salt Lake City indicate that Collins became disruptive to passengers near him around an hour into the flight. He allegedly started tapping on other passengers and followed a woman around until she physically had to push him away. Later, reports indicate Collins grabbed another woman’s arm and refused to let go as she left the restroom. After these altercations, the crew moved passengers around to isolate Collins, but he continued to engage with other passengers. After he was moved to the back of the plane, he had to be restrained with flexicuffs and extra seatbelts. This is due to further aggressiveness towards passengers as they walked by, including spitting at them.

The events of the flight are still under investigation. A federal grand jury charged Darnell Collins with interference with a flight crew. He was also charged with assault by striking, beating, and wounding in a special aircraft jurisdiction. There has been no statement or action taken by the Kansas City Royals organization at this moment. Collins is sponsored on a visa by the organization. There is no public information regarding his bail or release status. Of note, Colins had finished his third season of professional action in 2023. He has played in 96 games of rookie ball with a career stat line of .208/.270/.289.