By Stephanie Froese

Arrest of Senator’s wife in Saskatoon blown out of proportion, claims fellow flyer

Aug 26, 2012 | 8:59 AM

An arrest at the John G. Diefenbaker Airport made national headlines this weekend after News Talk Radio reported the woman charged with endangering Safety of the Aircraft is the wife of Manitoba Liberal Senator Rod Zimmer.

“I think the whole intent of it has been blown out of proportion,” said fellow flight passenger Scott Wright.

According to the Saskatoon Police Service, witnesses told police, Maygan Sensenberger, created a large disturbance which only got worse as the plane neared Saskatoon Thursday night.

Police reported they believe a verbal argument had taken place of a domestic nature and told News Talk Radio that alcohol may have been a factor.

Wright said he was with the couple for much of the flight.

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“When they asked for anyone with medical training I went back and participated in monitoring and looking after (Zimmer) as best we could,” said Wright. He said Zimmer told him he felt tightness in his chest.

Saskatoon Police confirmed that Sensenberger told several people she believed her husband was in medical distress.

“From the perspective of being one of three people that stayed right with them through the rest of the flight I at no time felt physically threatened or concerned, at no time felt frankly that the outbursts that she was having were threatening to anyone aside from ‘my god is he going to be OK’,” said Wright.

He said Sensenberger seemed upset that her husband and others were not taking his health seriously enough.

Write said Sensenberger was “over the top with emotion” and there was profanity but he never felt it was threatening.

On Friday Sensenberger was remanded in custody in Saskatoon until her second court appearance on Monday. She appeared visibility shaken and tearful in the prisoner's box.

Her husband, Zimmer, was appointed to the Senate by former prime minister Paul Martin in 2005. He was born in Kuroki, Saskatchewan and received a commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1973.

Sensenberger will appear in court on Monday, the couple's first wedding anniversary.

news@panow.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow