SAVANNAH, Ga. — Court documents outline a disturbing in-flight incident where a man reportedly became aggressive on a regional flight to Miami, leading to unexpected turbulence for passengers and crew. The passenger, during the flight, allegedly assaulted a flight attendant, engaged in erratic behavior that included kicking the seat in front of him, and ingested rosary beads as pilots redirected the flight back to Savannah, Georgia.
Traveling with his sister, the passenger reportedly told her to “close her eyes and pray” as he believed “Satan’s disciple(s)” had targeted them on the plane, as per an affidavit filed by an FBI agent in U.S. District Court. There were no serious injuries reported from the events that unfolded on Monday night aboard the Envoy Air flight, which operates as a regional carrier for American Airlines. The 31-year-old individual is now in custody, facing charges such as misdemeanor battery, obstruction of police, and a felony for criminal property damage.
In the affidavit, FBI Agent Savannah Solomon detailed that there was sufficient cause to accuse the man of a federal offense for disrupting the flight crew. Solomon described how, shortly after takeoff with only eight passengers on board, flight attendants grew concerned by the man who appeared to be experiencing a convulsion, marked by erratic movements and nonsensical shouting.
Upon the flight attendant’s approach to offer assistance, the man responded aggressively by kicking her in the chest, causing her to collide with the aircraft’s window. The situation escalated as the passenger began an assault on the seat ahead of him, resulting in the seat back breaking after the occupant managed to vacate it.
The pilots made an immediate decision to redirect back to Savannah. Upon landing, the man attempted to flee the aircraft and lashed out at another flight attendant, but was eventually overpowered and restrained by other passengers, as noted in the affidavit.
After his arrest, airport police transported him to a hospital due to his ingestion of the rosary beads before he was held at Chatham County jail. Federal and online jail records did not list any legal representation for the accused.
The sister of the accused revealed to the FBI agent that their trip was intended to escape “spiritual” religious persecutions in Haiti. She further explained that her brother ingested the rosary beads as he considered them a protective measure in spiritual conflicts. According to her, her brother was not experiencing any mental health or medical issues at the time.
