A customer assaults a flight attendant on a New Jersey aircraft, causing chaos and forcing passengers and crew to intervene before the plane lands.Newark, New Jersey, New Jersey, Crime
Charges of assaulting a flight attendant during a June flight to New Jersey led to the arrest of a guy from NEWARK, NJ. The man was detained by other passengers and crew members after the event, which took place on a United Airlines flight.
Flight Incident Leads to Arrest
The incident happened on a United Airlines flight from Houston to Newark on June 12, 2024. The flight was approaching Newark Liberty International Airport when Kedus Yacob Damtew, 38, of Washington, D.C., became disruptive, according to court filings.
Damtew allegedly pinned a flight attendant against the aircraft’s exit door by removing his shirt and pushing his bare chest into them.
Damtew was yelling obscenities and threatening violence, according to witnesses. As he pursued them toward the back of the airplane, he allegedly threw a cup of water at a flight attendant and punched an aircraft oven in addition to verbally abusing them.
Passengers and Crew Help Subdue Suspect
The flight crew used the aircraft’s public address system to call for help as Damtew’s behavior worsened. In response, a number of passengers assisted the crew in using flex cuffs to detain Damtew at the rear of the aircraft until the plane made a safe landing at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Serious Charges and Possible Penalties
Damtew was charged with one count of assault or intimidation causing interference with flight attendants and crew. He could be sentenced to 20 years in jail and fined up to $250,000 if found guilty.
RELATED TOPICS: New Jersey, Crime, Flight Attendants, and Airlines and Airports
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