Passenger Held on $10,000 Bond After Punching a Flight Attendant in the Face

A Texas man was charged with battery and held on a $10,000 bond for punching a flight attendant in the face onboard an American Airlines flight last week.

The 24-year-old passenger, Colby Isaac Hilleary, could still face up to 20 years in prison for the charges of battery and interfering with the duties of a flight attendant, The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Shortly after the flight took off from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Dallas (DFW), Hilleary began to behave erratically. He ran to the front of the aircraft and yelled at a flight attendant that the "plane was going the wrong way" and "there are no pilots on the plane."

The flight attendant was able to calm down the passenger and have him return to his seat. But soon after, Hilleary became "increasingly agitated," and started saying "the plane has been hijacked."

Then, Hilleary got out of his seat and punched a flight attendant in the face. Other cabin crew, including one who was the injured flight attendant's wife, were able to restrain the passenger and handcuff him. The crew (there were pilots) immediately diverted to nearby Tampa (TPA), where Hilleary was arrested.

Hilleary has since been released on a $10,000 bond, but he is barred from all air travel and was ordered to complete psychiatric treatment.

H/T: Travel and Leisure