Passenger Charged After Assaulting Nonverbal Deaf Man on United Flight

Photo : AFP

A violent incident occurred on a United Airlines flight last week when a man attacked a sleeping deaf and nonverbal passenger, leaving the cabin stained with blood. The attack took place on Monday during a flight from San Francisco to Washington Dulles, with authorities identifying the suspect as 44-year-old Everett Chal Nelson.

According to a police affidavit, Nelson rose to use the restroom and, upon returning to his seat, stopped at seat 12F, where he began to punch the sleeping passenger without warning. Witnesses described the brutal nature of the assault, with one passenger recalling the "blood-curdling screams" that filled the cabin as Nelson repeatedly struck the victim in the face and head.

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One witness, who was seated a row behind the victim, said, “He was just very violently and very aggressively just pummeling the guy... This wasn't like a barroom, 'I'm going to throw a couple of punches around,' I mean this was vicious.” The attack reportedly lasted for a full minute before another passenger intervened, restraining Nelson and stopping the assault.

The attack left the victim with severe injuries, including a split nose and two black eyes, with blood splattering across his seat and the cabin. After the incident, a doctor on board treated the victim’s wounds, at which point the crew discovered he was deaf and nonverbal. The victim later communicated his distress to the crew through text messages, repeatedly expressing, “I’m so scared.”

Nelson, on the other hand, reportedly sustained no injuries during the altercation, and there was no indication that the victim had defended himself against the attack. Flight attendants promptly moved Nelson to the front of the aircraft and assigned another passenger to keep watch over him until the plane landed.

The motivation behind Nelson's violent behavior remains unclear, as does any prior relationship between him and the victim. Mid-flight, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) contacted the FBI to report a "Level 2 disturbance," categorized as "physically abusive behavior," according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This classification places the incident above "Level 1," which denotes disruptive behavior, but below "Level 3," which involves an attempted or actual breach of the flight deck.

A United Airlines spokesperson commented on the situation, stating, "Thanks to the quick action of our crew and customers, one passenger was restrained after becoming physically aggressive toward another customer." The flight ultimately landed safely and was met by paramedics and local law enforcement.

Mr. Nelson has since been charged with one count of assault by beating, striking, and wounding under the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. If convicted, he could face up to a year in prison.