PITTSBURGH -- A Seattle-area man accused of groping a female passenger and causing a United Airlines flight to be diverted to Pittsburgh on Sunday doesn't remember the alleged incident, according to his lawyer.

Michael Lamar Holland, 46, may not have taken his anti-seizure medication before he boarded Flight 917 from Washington, D.C., to Seattle, attorney Steve Townsend said Wednesday.

"My client blacked out," said Townsend. "He didn't remember exactly what happened. I don't believe he was on his medication that morning. Can't say that that's what the cause of the blackout is, but he does have a history of this, a recent history of blacking out, so that may have had something to do with the reason why he doesn't remember anything."

Before the alleged disturbance, Holland had been talking with the 39-year-old alleged victim, who was traveling with her young daughter, officials said.

"The next thing you know, he's groping her," according to Ted Hresko, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh air marshals' office. "The flight attendants asked our (air marshals) to get involved."

"The daughter was just freaking out," said passenger Brian O'Neill. "She was like, 'Tell that man to stop touching my mom.' It was the spookiest thing I ever saw in my life."

Holland is charged with a federal count of abusive sexual contact. He is free on bond and is scheduled for a Jan. 7 court appearance, according to U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan's office.

An affidavit filed with the charge said a witness saw Holland stroking the woman's hair while she was trying to sleep, and apparently touching himself, then fondling her as she repeatedly objected and tried to get away from him.

"He was resisting and we were cornered," the alleged victim told WTAE's news exchange partners at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I repeatedly told him to stop. I started to scream, but he wouldn't stop. I think I'm still in a bit of shock. We were really shaken up."

Holland was handcuffed by air marshals and taken to an empty seat in another part of the plane, Hresko said. The pilot diverted the flight so Holland could be taken to the Allegheny County Jail before continuing on to Seattle.

"I'd like to see where we can resolve this amicably and let the victims be happy but let the victims know that he is going to be punished," Townsend said. "But he is very sorry for what happened."

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