UPDATE: 10th Dem. candidate announces assistance in subduing United flight passenger

An announcement from 10th District Democratic Congressional primary bidder, Air Force Reserve Col. John Tree of Long Grove, caught our eye late yesterday.

Tree, according to the release, "was called upon to assist the crew in subduing a passenger traveling in the first class cabin on United Flight 448" yesterday, per a campaign release.

"The passenger in question was reportedly shouting profanities, kicking the aircraft walls and making threats. At one point, the passenger got out of his seat, and jabbed Tree several times in the abdomen as he stood between the passenger’s seat and the galley."

But then Tree steps in, and "with the help of a number of other passengers in the first class cabin, subdued the passenger and returned him to his seat. Tree sat next to the passenger for the remainder of the flight to prevent further disturbances."

MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews (you know, the guy who got into the verbal brawl with Congressman Joe Walsh earlier this year?) was reportedly on the flight.

This afternoon, we fielded a call from an Illinois (GOP) Delegation staff member who says he was on the flight and calls Tree's statements "wildly inaccurate."

While Tree did help subdue the passenger, he said, it was not nearly as intense as what was described - noting the unruly passenger wasn't handcuffed by police after disembarking from the plane.

An interesting story that's only gotten more interesting.

But wait, there's more.

Tree's campaign has passed on an e-mail confirmation of Tree's story from United, as well as a note from officials at Washington Reagan Airport, which notes the unruly passenger "was taken to the Arlington County Police Department lockup and arraigned before Judge Thomas Kelly on Tuesday morning on charges of “public intoxication” and “interference of a flight crew” and released on $7,500.00 bond. His trial is set for January 25th in Arlington."

Think the 10th race is getting hot? We do.