Texas Man Arrested After Allegedly Assaulting Flight Attendant And Passenger

A Texas man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant and a passenger on an American Airlines flight earlier this month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports.

According to ABC News, the incident occurred on March 5, around 9:00 p.m., during American Airlines Flight 5574, which was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department reached out to the FBI regarding a disturbance aboard the flight. The route of Flight 5574 is notably the same as that of the plane involved in a deadly collision with a Black Hawk helicopter on January 29, which resulted in 67 fatalities.

According to an FBI affidavit obtained by ABC News, the suspect, Asterius Mutayoba Rulamka, allegedly left his seat during the flight and approached the rear of the plane, where he engaged with a flight attendant. He then sat down and began shouting profanities at the attendant, prompting several passengers to record the incident on their phones.

“Several passengers, observing the threatening behavior, started filming on their cellular phones,” the affidavit read. As first reported by USA Today, Rulamka allegedly then attacked a passenger filming him, “grabbing his arms and verbally berating him.” The suspect also took off the passenger’s hat and glasses and struck him “in the face near his left eye, causing bruising and a bloodshot eye.”

The situation escalated when Rulamka began running up and down the aisles, but three passengers and the flight attendants were able to subdue him and return him to a seat near his original location for the remainder of the flight, the affidavit added.

Upon the plane’s arrival at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Rulamka allegedly made statements indicating his intention to speak with President Trump, stating that he had traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with him because he was “mad.” When asked why, he reportedly did not provide a clear explanation.

Rulamka, a Texas resident, was found to have a driver’s license from the state, and a criminal background check revealed that he had been previously encountered by the Department of Homeland Security in 2014 as a non-immigrant overstay, with pending immigration proceedings.

American Airlines issued a statement saying, “On March 5, law enforcement responded to American Eagle Flight 5574 after its arrival in Washington, D.C. (DCA) due to a disruptive customer. We do not tolerate violence, and thank our team members for their professionalism.”

Rulamka has been charged with assault, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 113(a)(4). A hearing for him was scheduled for March 13. No attorney information was immediately available.