A United Airlines flyer has been criminally charged after allegedly punching a deaf and non-verbal fellow passenger on flight UA2247 on October 28.
Everett Chad Nelson is facing a felony assault charge. A criminal affidavit claims he enacted his unprovoked violence while returning to his seat at 35F from the bathroom. Nelson reportedly awoke the non-verbal passenger from his sleep in seat 12F with his punches.
The FBI’s affidavit stated that the around one-minute-long incident left a bloody scene. The unidentified victim allegedly screamed as the punches landed. His injuries included “sustained bruising on his eyes and a gash on his nose.”
Bystander Sandhya Gupta claims she saw the mid-flight assault about two hours into the flight. “He [Nelson] was just very violently and very aggressively just pummeling the guy who was in the window seat who was in front of me, and it was vicious. This wasn’t like a bar room, ‘I’m going to throw a couple of punches around.’ I mean, this was vicious,” she told ABC 7.
The Associated Press reported that a federal magistrate ordered Nelson to be in custody until his December 11 trial.
What Else Is There To Know About The Violent Mid-Flight Incident?
The flight was from San Francisco International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia. The affidavit said a passenger stopped Nelson’s violent outburst before dutifully watching the subdued flyer for the rest of the flight.
It’s unclear whether Nelson and the victim knew each other. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reportedly investigating the incident.
How Did United Airlines Respond?
The airline reportedly noted that 82 customers and six flight crew members were onboard during the incident.
“Thanks to the quick action of our crew and customers, one passenger was restrained after becoming physically aggressive toward another customer on a flight from San Francisco to Washington Dulles on Monday. The flight landed safely and was met by paramedics and local law enforcement,” the carrier said in a statement.
