A shirtless man is accused of pinning a United flight attendant to the plane’s “exit door” in a turbulent atmosphere

Washington, DCA topless man’s alleged attack on a flight attendant prompted passengers to intervene in an air strike, federal officials said.

Kidus Jacob Damtio, 38, was on a United Airlines flight on June 12, 2024, from Houston to Newark, New Jersey, when he allegedly threatened and assaulted a flight attendant, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey.

Damtio was charged in federal court in Newark on Tuesday on charges of interfering with cabin crew members and flight attendants by assault or intimidation. He allegedly took off his shirt shortly before landing and “pushed his bare chest toward the flight attendant” before “pinning” the flight attendant “on the plane’s exit door” while yelling threats of physical violence, according to the criminal complaint.

Officials said he “hit an airplane oven” in his rampage.

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The 38-year-old from Washington, D.C., continued to threaten the flight attendant, officials said. He allegedly followed her back From the plane He proceeded to “throw a cup of water” at the worker.

Another officials said flight attendant He called for help over the plane’s public address system, prompting several passengers to help secure Damtio with elastic handcuffs in the last row of the plane until the flight landed in Newark.

tape	protection	last	It changes	% changes
first	United Airlines Holding	96.35	-0.16	-0.17%

Damto appeared in D.C. federal court on Tuesday before Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh and was released.

United Airlines maneuvers to avoid hitting another plane with two people

He faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years In prison A maximum fine of $250,000.

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“U.S. Attorney Selinger credited FBI special agents, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson Delgado in Newark, in the investigation that led to the indictment,” the statement read. “He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Edward T. Setnar, for its assistance.”

United Airlines declined to provide additional comment to Fox News Digital.