2 Men Hurt At Airport In Fight Over Woman

by Nicole Weisensee, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: November 12, 1997

Two Philadelphia International Airport employees yesterday went crashing through a plate-glass window and plunged 20 feet to a concrete pavement after fighting over a woman, police said.

Both were injured, one critically.

Police said the dispute began around 8:30 a.m. in the corridor between terminals C and D.

Ellic Mitchell, 25, of Wyalusing Avenue near 38th Street, approached James McDowell, 25, of Glenwood Avenue near Hollywood Street,and asked him why he made ``inappropriate remarks'' about Mitchell to the woman, said Detective Ray Stackhouse of the Philadelphia Police airport unit.

``I think they both liked this girl,'' Stackhouse said.

``It seems like McDowell was interested in the girl so he was saying some things to make Mitchell not look like a star in her eyes.''

After Mitchell asked McDowell about what he said, McDowell ``got physical and violent and wanted to fight him,'' Stackhouse said.

``Mr. Mitchell told him, `If you want to fight, I'll go outside.' With that, McDowell grabbed Mitchell by the collar of his jacket, ramming him into the glass and breaking it.''

Mitchell grabbed McDowell as he started to fall and McDowell, who lost his footing, fell with him to the concrete.

Both men received head injuries. McDowell's were so serious he was taken by helicopter to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was in surgery yesterday afternoon and listed in critical condition. Mitchell was in stable condition.

McDowell works for the staffing services division of Delta Airlines.

Mitchell works for Press Relay, which services newspaper stores and gift shops at the airport.

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