A California man is facing federal charges after reportedly attempting to choke a flight attendant and “said he was going to kill everybody” aboard a Frontier Airlines flight to San Francisco that was diverted on Monday, according to police.
According to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, Charles Angel Salva, 30, of Fremont, had his first court appearance on Wednesday and was charged with interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
The jet was climbing shortly after takeoff from Orange County, California, when flight attendants noticed oxygen masks in one of the rows had been removed from the overhead compartment. “Flight attendants investigated and discovered that Salva had his hand in the overhead compartment,” the US Attorney’s Office stated.
A passenger informed law authorities that Salva appeared to be “claustrophobic” and “seemed like he wanted to get off the plane,” according to the US Attorney’s Office, adding that the guy got his hand stuck in the overhead compartment after removing the gas mask.
During the altercation, Salva allegedly yelled obscenities at flight attendants and said, “We are all going to hell,” and “This airplane is going down,” according to the release.
“Passengers helped restrain Salva, who broke out of flex cuffs and had to be restrained by a seatbelt,” according to the release. “During the incident, Salva kicked one flight attendant approximately six times in the leg, causing apparent bruising and swelling, which required medical attention.”
According to the US Attorney’s Office, the flight attendant whom he reportedly attempted to choke received minor neck injuries.
The flight attendants did not feel safe attempting to place Salva back in his seat, so the flight was diverted to Ontario International Airport in California, according to the release.
The FAA confirmed that the flight landed safely at Ontario International Airport about 6 p.m. after the crew reported a passenger disturbance and informed CNN that it would investigate the event.
CNN has contacted out to Salva’s attorney for comment and Frontier Airlines for more information.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, if Salva is convicted of interfering with a flight crew, he faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Salva is currently in the custody of the US Marshals Service, according to court records. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 26.
The FBI and the Ontario Police Department are looking into the event.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said in 2021 that it would implement a zero-tolerance policy for fliers who behave inappropriately on airplanes.
That year, customers were fined for a variety of incidents on planes around the United States, including one who tried to enter the plane’s cockpit and had to be restrained, and another who hit a flight attendant in the face, sending them to the hospital. The Department of Justice also receives reports on the most egregious cases of in-flight mischief.
The single largest individual penalty, $40,823, was imposed on a passenger who brought their drink on board, was inebriated, attempted to smoke marijuana in the lavatory, and sexually attacked a flight attendant all on the same aircraft.
