United Airlines passenger beats deaf, non-verbal man to a pulp in middle of flight
A man has been charged with brutally assaulting a deaf, non-verbal passenger during an unprovoked attack mid-flight.
Everett Chad Nelson, 44, is charged with assault by beating, striking or wounding after the alleged incident on a Virginia-bound flight from San Francisco.
Nelson is accused of leaving his victim, an unnamed passenger who was both deaf and nonverbal, with blood pouring from a cut on his nose and bruises around both eyes.
The incident is said to have occurred when Nelson returned to his seat from the restroom.
He allegedly stopped at 12F, where the victim was sleeping, and began attacking him without provocation.
Everett Chad Nelson, 44, is charged with assault by beating, striking or wounding after the alleged incident on a Virginia-bound flight from San Francisco
According to court records, the alleged victim woke up screaming. Blood splattered all over the seat and window, as well as on Nelson’s jacket.
Sandhya Gupta, who sat a row behind the victim and witnessed the alleged assault, said ABC 7 News she heard ‘blood-curdling screams.’
“He was just very violent and aggressive, beating up the man sitting in the window seat who was sitting in front of me, and that was brutal,” she said.
“When he tried to communicate with us in sign language, we realized he was deaf and non-verbal.”
United Airlines said in a statement that there was a “malfunction” on board that was managed by crew and passengers
Sandhya Gupta, who sat a row behind the victim and witnessed the alleged attack, said she heard “blood-curdling screams.”
A Good Samaritan intervened and pulled Nelson off the distressed victim. The victim allegedly communicated with staff by typing on his phone.
According to Gupta, the messages repeatedly read: “I’m so scared.”
It is unclear what prompted the incident.
United Airlines said in a statement that there was a “malfunction” on board that was managed by crew and passengers.
“One passenger was restrained Monday after becoming physically aggressive toward another customer on a flight from San Francisco to Washington Dulles,” a United spokesperson said in a statement.
“The flight landed safely and was met by paramedics and local law enforcement.”