An Orange County man has been arrested and charged by federal authorities after a video confirmed him allegedly punching a flight attendant behind the top throughout a flight Wednesday from Mexico to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport, in response to prosecutors.
Alexander Tung Cuu Le, 33, of Westminster, has been charged with one rely of interference with flight crew members and attendants, the U.S. lawyer’s workplace for the Central District of California mentioned in a information launch Thursday.
Le was flying from San José del Cabo to LAX on Wednesday when he acquired out of his seat whereas flight attendants had been in the course of handing out meals and drinks on American Airways flight 377, prosecutors mentioned. Le grabbed a flight attendant by the shoulder from behind and requested for espresso, then he grabbed the flight attendant by each shoulders, prosecutors mentioned. The flight attendant pulled away and put up a defensive posture, and Le then walked to the entrance of the airplane, in response to court docket paperwork.
He loitered close to the first-class cabin and sat in an empty aisle close to the wall dividing the 2 sides of the airplane. One other flight attendant requested Le to return to his seat, however he refused and allegedly assumed a combating stance and closed each of his arms right into a fist. The flight attendant took this as a risk, prosecutors mentioned.
Le swung his arm on the flight attendant and missed, and that’s when the flight attendant rotated to report Le’s actions to the pilot, in response to prosecutors. Whereas their again was turned, Le rushed towards the flight attendant and punched him behind the top, authorities mentioned. A number of passengers witnessed the assault, and one particular person recorded the incident.
Le ran to the again of the airplane after the incident and several other passengers cornered him close to an exit row. He was then moved to a different row over security issues and his arms and legs had been handcuffed. Flight attendants restrained him additional with seatbelt extenders as a result of he continued to unbuckle his seatbelt, in response to prosecutors.
The flight was met by regulation enforcement when it arrived at LAX, American Airways mentioned in an announcement.
“Acts of violence towards our staff members are usually not tolerated by American Airways. The person concerned on this incident won’t ever be allowed to journey with us sooner or later, and we’ll work intently with regulation enforcement of their investigation,” American Airways mentioned. “We thank our crew for his or her fast motion and professionalism to make sure the security of their fellow staff members and prospects on board. Our ideas are with our injured flight attendant, and we’re making certain that they and their fellow crew members have the assist they want presently.”
Le is scheduled to look in federal court docket Thursday afternoon. If convicted, he may face a most sentence of 20 years in jail.
