Several disturbances occurred on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington D.C., on Sunday.
Juan Remberto Rivas, a 50-year-old from California, has been charged with assaulting and intimidating a flight attendant. Thus, he interferred in the operations of the flight attendant’s duties.
Documents note that Rivas approached the cockpit and snatched plastic utensils from nearby. He then pointed a plastic knife at a flight attendant.
Rivas is said to have then picked up a bottle of champagne and tried to break it on the counter.
Subsequent to that, he started to kick and push the service cart into a flight attendant. He then placed his feet on an exit door and tried to push it open.
A flight attendant took action and struck Rivas in the head two times with a coffee pot. A passenger punched Rivas in the face as someone else grabbed his neck, taking him to the floor.
As passengers and flight attendants detained the man, an off-duty pilot bound his hands and feet with zip ties and duct tape until authorities could arrive. At 2:28 p.m., the plane made an emergency landing in Kansas City, MO.
Rivas received treatment for cuts to his head.
Court records show that Rivas wasn’t served alcohol on the flight. He remained in custody as of Monday night.
