A 29-year-old man from Fairfax, Virginia, is facing up to 20 years in prison after he attempted to storm the cockpit of a plane and shoved a flight attendant against the wall after she attempted to intervene, according to reports.
Kameron C. Stone last week pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew and to assault in an aircraft, according to the Independent.
The incident in question took place in April 2021 on a United Airlines flight traveling from Dulles airport in Virginia to Pensacola, Florida. Passengers noticed Stone was "behaving obnoxiously and smelled strongly of alcohol," according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida.
The report revealed that Stone was warned several times by the flight attendant about his behavior, which included pretending to shoot passengers, refusing to remain seated, and refusing to wear a seatbelt. Things escalated and, as the flight began its final descent, Stone approached the front of the aircraft and tried to open the cabin and cockpit doors, according to the report.
The flight attendant attempted to stop Stone, who reportedly grabbed her shoulders and shoved her into the gallery wall. Court documents cited by the Independent state that the flight attendant suffered bruising to her chest, face, arm, and shoulder.
During the altercation, Stone was able to breach the main cabin door to the external portion of the plane, prompting the pilots to declare an emergency with the Federal Aviation Administration, reported the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida. It took three passengers, including an off-duty federal marshal, as well as the flight attendant, to restrain Stone and prevent him from fully opening the door, the report noted.
The Independent reported that several miniature bottles of vodka fell out of Stone’s pockets during the struggle. Police were waiting on the ground to escort him off.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 28 at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.