Enraged passenger ‘chokes flight attendant while screaming “this airplane is going down” in mid-air meltdown’ after weekend at Disneyland
An enraged passenger choked and attacked a flight attendant during a chaotic mid-air meltdown after a weekend at Disneyland.
Charles Angel Salva, 30, of Fremont, has now been charged with obstructing crew and flight attendants for his actions. He appeared in court Thursday.
On Monday, Salva was aboard Frontier Airlines Flight 3581, which departed from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana and was en route to San Francisco International Airport, before he suffered his breakdown.
Immediately after the plane took off and was still below 10,000 feet (about 3,000 meters), flight attendants noticed that oxygen masks in a row in the middle of the plane had disappeared from the overhead bins.
When authorities began investigating, they found Salva with his hand in the compartment, appearing claustrophobic and distressed.
Charles Angel Salva has been charged with interfering with crew and flight attendants after a meltdown on Frontier Airlines Flight 3581
A passenger told investigators that the man had retrieved oxygen masks from the overhead bin before his hand became trapped.
He then began screaming in terrifying tones, “We’re all going to hell” and “This plane’s going down,” court documents allege.
As Salva continued to cause chaos, a flight attendant tried to restrain him as he tried to grab other passengers, authorities said.
Salva then allegedly ran down the aisle to the back of the plane, where he put a cord around a flight attendant’s neck and said, “I’m going to choke this bitch,” as he tried to strangle her.
Prosecutors said the enraged man also “violently” pushed another flight attendant and claimed he was going to kill everyone on the plane.
Brave passengers tried to hold Salva back as he kicked him, one kick even hitting the second flight attendant in the leg.
Due to the violent outburst, the plane was diverted to Ontario International Airport in California. When authorities boarded the plane, they saw passengers pinning it to the ground.
Salva was arrested at the airport and placed in soft handcuffs before being taken to a local hospital.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the flight crew for their professionalism and to the other passengers who assisted during the incident, as well as to local and federal law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, for their efforts to ensure justice is served,” a Frontier statement said. Fox News Digital said.
The attendant who was kicked in the leg was also treated in hospital for her injuries.
A passenger told officers that Salva was flying back to San Francisco after spending the weekend at Disneyland with his 3-year-old daughter.
But on Sunday, Salva left his toddler with the unnamed passenger and their family before disappearing, court documents show.
He reportedly admitted to taking ecstasy before boarding the plane and told police, “I’m a child molester,” and allegedly abused his daughter multiple times before losing custody, Fox News reports.
Salva now faces up to 20 years in prison while the FBI and Ontario police investigate the case.