A passenger is potentially facing a maximum of 20 years in federal prison after allegedly attempting to choke a flight attendant during a Frontier Airlines flight.
The passenger, identified by the Department of Justice as 30-year old Charles Angel Salva, was on a Frontier Airlines flight from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on September 9, 2024.
According to the affidavit filed at the US Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California, flight attendants noticed that oxygen masks in one row of the plane had been deployed shortly after takeoff. Upon investigation, the cabin crew discovered that Salva had his hand in the overhead compartment above the masks.
Another passenger on the flight later told law enforcement that Salva appeared as though he wanted to get out of the plane. The passenger said Salva later pulled down one of the oxygen masks from the overhead compartment, and his hand became stuck. Another passenger was able to help him free his hand.
Shortly after the incident, Salva allegedly began yelling at flight attendants and said: “We are all going to hell,” and “This airplane is going down!”
Salva then grabbed at fellow passengers and ran towards the rear of the aircraft, where flight attendants tried to restrain him. Salva then allegedly attempted to choke a flight attendant, leaving two small marks on the victim’s neck. He then allegedly pushed another flight attendant and announced that he was going to “kill everybody”.
Passengers then helped to restrain Salva with a seatbelt for the rest of the flight. The incident sparked a diversion, with the aircraft landing at Ontario International Airport (ONT) instead.
According to the DOJ, if convicted, Salva will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI and the Ontario Police Department are investigating the matter.
