Selma Blair Arrested After Alleged Delta Flight Attack

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Meta description: Selma Blair was arrested after allegedly attacking flight attendants on a Delta flight to NYC. She faces two assault charges; the FBI is investigating.
Excerpt: Actress Selma Blair was arrested after allegedly biting and punching two flight attendants on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York. She faces two assault charges and an FBI investigation.

Actress Selma Blair, 54, was arrested after allegedly attacking two flight attendants aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York late Sunday night, officials said. The incident on Delta flight 938 ended with Blair in plastic restraints, two crew members injured, and a federal investigation now underway.

Key Takeaways
– Selma Blair, 54, was taken into custody after an alleged violent disturbance on Delta flight 938 from LAX to JFK on Sunday night, Oct. 11.
– Two flight attendants reported injuries — dispatch audio described a bloody nose and bite marks; one was taken to hospital.
– Blair allegedly tried to open the aircraft door mid-flight, according to TMZ; Delta says it cannot corroborate that claim.
– She allegedly kicked a police officer in the head in the ambulance and assaulted a nurse at the hospital.
– She has been charged with two counts of assault; the FBI has issued a summons. Her representative says she suffered a “medical emergency.”

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police responded to a call about a “physically abusive passenger” aboard Delta flight 938, which arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 11, from Los Angeles. The suspect was identified as Blair, who was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for evaluation. Two flight attendants also reported injuries, and one was transported to the hospital for further evaluation, the Port Authority said. The FBI is investigating the incident.

Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, and reviewed by CNN, shows medical personnel were first requested to meet the arriving flight for two flight attendants needing attention. The audio described minor injuries including “a bloody nose as well as some bite marks,” and noted that the disruptive passenger had “bashed her head on the bulkhead.” A law enforcement source later told CNN that Blair bit one flight attendant and left another with lacerations, and that she had to be held with plastic restraints.

TMZ reported that Blair allegedly tried to open the aircraft door in the middle of the flight. A Delta spokesperson said the airline is aware of those reports but is unable to corroborate them at this time.

The confrontation did not end at the gate. According to TMZ and CNN, Blair repeatedly kicked a Port Authority police officer in the head while being taken by ambulance to nearby Jamaica Hospital. Once at the hospital, she allegedly assaulted a nurse, who pressed charges. TMZ reports she has been charged with two counts of assault. The Times reports that the FBI issued a summons accusing Blair of assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, with the case to be handled through the petty violations court in federal court in Brooklyn; a date for her appearance has not been set. As of late Monday afternoon, Blair was at central booking at Queens Criminal Court, according to a law enforcement source cited by CNN.

Blair’s representative, Jill Fritzo, said the actress “experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.” In a statement on Oct. 12, Fritzo added: “Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition.” It is unclear what the medical emergency was. Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system, in 2018, and has since been a vocal advocate for disability awareness.

Delta said in a statement: “Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.” The airline said the flight landed ahead of schedule at JFK with no operational impact.

FBI New York spokesperson Sydney Kleinmann said the bureau was informed by its Port Authority partners of a potential assault aboard the flight, adding that per long-standing Justice Department policy the FBI does not comment on ongoing investigations.

The incident echoes a similar episode in 2016, when Blair was removed from an international flight from Cancun after causing a disturbance. She apologized at the time, saying she had mixed alcohol with medication, which caused her to black out, and that she deeply regretted her behavior.

Federal agents taking action against high-profile figures has made headlines before — US immigration agents searched the home of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar earlier this month. Blair’s case also follows other aviation scares covered by NovaHub, including the alleged suicide-attack plot by a Flydubai co-pilot.

Sources: CNN, BBC, USA Today, The Times, Entertainment Weekly, TheWrap.