An American Airlines flight attendant suffered a concussion after a passenger allegedly struck her in the face during a flight from New York to California, prompting the pilot to divert to Colorado last week, according to court documents released Monday.
The passenger, Brian Hsu, 20, was charged Monday with assault and interference with a flight crew, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office in Colorado said. He was ordered released on a $10,000 bond and is set to appear in federal court in Denver on November 15.
It was not known if Hsu had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
In a federal complaint, authorities said the incident began when Hsu — who was returning to his home in Southern California from New York on Oct. 27 after undergoing brain surgery — got up to use the bathroom and stretch.
The flight attendant, who has not been identified, told investigators that she was struck in the head while talking with another flight attendant. After asking Hsu if he was alright, she told him to obey the seat belt sign and sit down, the documents say.
Hsu then allegedly struck her head with his elbow and punched her in the face with a closed fist, the documents say. One witness told authorities he struck her with a “full swing.”
Another witness recalled Hsu being restrained with duct tape and plastic bonds afterward, according to the documents.
The flight attendant, who described bleeding from her nose and becoming dizzy and nauseous, was taken to a hospital in Colorado after the pilot landed in Denver. Doctors there said she had a concussion, she told authorities.
Hsu told investigators that the flight attendant became “agitated and began swinging” at his head after he accidentally bumped her. He said he feared being struck so soon after his surgery, so he raised his hands defensively.
He denied punching the flight attendant and claimed that when she charged at him, her nose struck the palm of his hand, the documents say.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, who said Hsu would be banned from future American Airlines flights, again described the incident as part of the “very disturbing downside” of post-pandemic air travel. The number of federal probes into “unruly” airline passenger behavior has spiked this year, with investigators looking into nearly 1,000 cases. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration documented just 146.
According to the department, authorities have received nearly 5,000 complaints of such behavior, including more than 3,500 reports of mask-related incidents.
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Original Article: Flight attendant suffered concussion after assault by passenger, documents say
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Wow! Hsu’s brain surgery obviously did NOT WORK if he is imagining things and then striking innocent people! Interesting how much different his story is compared to the other flight attendant who WITNESSED THE WHOLE THING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER! Duh.
Sorry Hsu, you need to get your $$ back from the surgeon that supposedly fixed your brain. It did NOT work! Something is definitely broke!
Have you noticed how many “NUTCASES” are walking around or driving their cars like weapons? Yeah, they are out there in full force and with many IDIOT CITIES DEFUNDING THEIR POLICE, well, the IDIOT POPULATION IS GROWING!
??WARNING:
(1)ALWAYS be aware of the people around you at ALL TIMES! There are less Police to protect you so YOU have to protect yourself!
(2)BE COURTEOUS AND KIND to those around you. You don’t know where their life has been or if they are at the “BREAKING POINT”!
(3)ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE EXITS ARE WHERE EVER YOU GO. In enclosed areas like this plane, observe any unusual behaviors and stay away from that person/area. Mental issues are on the rise from the Covid restrictions, be alert!
That poor Flight Attendant did not expect that behavior from that passenger. I bet from now on she looks people over good before letting them come near her!
That’s exactly what EVERYONE should be doing until some kind of normalcy returns to our Country — AFTER INCOMPETENT JOE BIDEN IS REMOVED FROM OFFICE! Til then, know CRAZINESS ? WILL HAPPEN AND YOU CAN STOP IT FROM IMPACTING YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE AROUND YOU!!
This tool looks like a someone who would punch a woman, nothing but a coward. I don’t think he should be allowed to fly on any airline again.
What a jerk, I was on that flight. I would have beat his ass for hitting a woman.He is not a man !!!