(Photo : DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
A California man from Fremont was arrested by federal authorities for his scary behavior on a Frontier Airlines flight. On Wednesday (September 11), Charles Angel Salva, 30, faced serious charged for assaulting flight attendants and threatening everyone on the plane.
California Man Attacked Frontier Airlines Flight Attendants, Passengers
The Frontier Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing at Ontario International Airport for his actions. The dispute started when Salva's flight from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana to San Francisco International Airport had not reached 10,000 feet yet, but the oxygen masks dropped down.
Flight attendants found Salva with his hand stuck in the overhead compartment. A nearby passenger said Salva looked panicked and wanted to get off the plane. After getting his hand free, Salva became very angry and started shouting.
The California man's behavior got worse to the point that he grabbed other passengers as one flight attendant saw him sweating and out of breathe. He then went to the back of the plane ans tried to strangle another flight attendant using her lanyard.
According to New York Times, the assault left marks on the flight attendant's neck. Salva also hit another flight attendant in the leg, which made her leg swell and bruise. Because of how dangerous the passenger was, the flight crew decided to land the plane early at Ontario International Airport. When they landed, police found Salva very upset and violent that they had to restrain him and take him to the hospital.
Salva Attempted to Cause Airplane Crash
Later, it was discovered that Salva had been at Disneyland with his young daughter before the flight. He had left his daughter with a family member and disappeared. Salva was also found covered in sewage at a liquor store.
According to Fox News, he confessed taking drugs before the aircraft boarding. He also stated that he believed that everyone was trying to convince him to admit his offenses, and as a result, he tried to turn on the emergency flight switch, so that the aircraft would crash, according to authorities.
Salva faces serious charges for interfering with the flight crew, which could mean up to 20 years in federal prison if he is found guilty. He is being held without bail and will have his first court appearance on October 1.
Frontier Airlines has thanked the crew and passengers for handling the situation bravely and is working with the authorities to ensure everyone's safety.
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