Smoker Allegedly Punches JetBlue Flight Attendant In Face

WNBC.COM ^ | 6/19/08 | Puppage

[Puppage]

A Queens woman was arrested by federal authorities after a JetBlue flight was forced to make an emergency landing because she allegedly lit and refused to extinguish a cigarette on the plane and punched a flight attendant in the face, according to KUSA.com.

The plane was en route from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday when officials said passenger Christina Szele, 35, lit a cigarette in her seat and starting smoking, the Rocky Mountain News reported.

Smoking is forbidden on all domestic flights, but the Rocky Mountain News reported that when a flight attendant confronted Szele, she screamed obscenities and racial epithets at the man, according to court documents. Szele is white and the attendant is black, reported the paper.

Attendants managed to restrain Szele with flex cuffs, but she broke free and allegedly punched the flight attendant who initially had confronted her, Paul Whyte, in the jaw, according to KUSA.com.

One flight attendant said Szele punched him.

The plane made an emergency landing in Denver, Colo., where federal authorities removed Szele from the flight.

Szele was charged with assault and interfering with a flight crew in U.S. District Court in Denver.

A detention hearing is scheduled Monday for Szele, who faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted of the interference with flight charge. In addition, she faces six months and up to a $10,000 fine for the assault charge, reported KUSA.com.

About 145 passengers were on board the plane, which had a crew of five, according to KUSA.com.

[Puppage]

she screamed obscenities and racial epithets at the man, according to court documents

Wadda sweetheart.

[Vaduz]

20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000
WTF for a smoke

[Domandred]

There is a smoking section outside the door on row 8 :)

[centurion316]

She is not going to like how this turns out. She would stand a better chance if she had held up a convenience store and shot the attendant.

[Doctor Raoul]

They should have just let her go outside to smoke...

[keats5]

Heck, I don’t know whose side to take!

I’d hate to sit next to a smoker on a plane, but it’s nice to see someone rebel against the airlines.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I’d shot the b*tch myself on the spot.

[Non-Sequitur]

She’s in trouble. I believe that federal prisons have designated smoking and no-smoking areas now.

[Pylon]

[megatherium]

But smoking is a habit and not an addiction. <grin>

[KarlInOhio]

I'm normally opposed to lawsuits, but I would love for the airline to sue her for the full cost (including airplane depreciation) of the landing and takeoff. Jet fuel ain't cheap.

[TheDon]

Should have just killed the flight attendant, I think that’s only 8 years in prison...

[Rio]

I didn’t know that you could get through security with a lighter or matches these days.

[RetiredArmy]

Smoking seats are available on the wings.

[agere_contra]

20 years! Thats more than you get for being a Border Patrol agent.

[Pylon]

From Smoking Gun, the perp

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0619081smoke1.html

[Puppage]

Oooof. Face like a blind cobbler’s thumb.

[poobear]

I just want to know how she got on the plane with a lighter? Been through security lately?

[Tolkien]

That's a sideways Darwin award there!!

20 years? Wow.

[Puppage]

I just want to know how she got on the plane with a lighter?

Now, that's a damn good question. Maybe it was matches?