A retired New Jersey police officer became the target of a biting attack midair last week, one of several travelers who wrestled a combative first-class passenger under control before an American Airlines jet made an unplanned landing near Baltimore.
The man was booked on state charges after Maryland Transportation Authority Police took him into custody, the FBI said. His identity and the specific counts against him have not been made public. Investigators are still interviewing witnesses and plan to coordinate with the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland on whether federal charges are warranted.
The trouble unfolded aboard Flight 618, a Boeing 737-800 that departed Dallas Fort Worth International Airport bound for Newark Liberty International Airport on September 3, 2026. One traveler, seated two rows ahead of the man in the first-class cabin, described watching him turn hostile and start hurling racial and homophobic slurs at those around him.
That passenger recounted to CNN that a flight attendant made an early attempt to settle the man down, but his behavior only escalated. He allegedly threw a punch at the person seated beside him, then struck a woman who tried to step in. The retired officer moved to assist, and as the fight grew physical, other travelers joined the effort.
Crew members handed over a flexible restraint, which the passengers looped around the man’s wrists. He responded by biting the retired officer and lunging to bite a second traveler, according to the account. The group then turned to duct tape supplied by the crew, binding him to his seat while deliberately keeping his mouth uncovered so he could still breathe.
Even bound, the man kept struggling. One passenger ended up sitting on his lap for roughly 15 minutes during the descent toward Baltimore.
Once the crew flagged a disturbance, the plane was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft touched down safely around 22:15 local time, and police boarded to arrest the man. American Airlines confirmed officers removed him before the flight carried on to Newark.
The carrier condemned the incident in a statement: “The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we do not tolerate violence.” It went on to credit its crew for their handling of the situation and thanked passengers for their patience.
Such episodes remain far from rare. Airlines have logged more than 1,160 unruly-passenger reports with the FAA during 2026 alone. The agency can seek civil fines topping $43,000 for each violation involving assault, threats, intimidation, or interference with crew, on top of any criminal prosecution a passenger may face.
