Passenger accused of kicking attendant, throwing 'haymakers,' eating rosary beads on plane
Jonathan Limehouse- A passenger on an American Airlines flight from Savannah to Miami was arrested and charged with interfering with flight crew members after allegedly assaulting flight attendants and other passengers.
- Witnesses say Delange Augustin, 31, exhibited erratic behavior shortly after takeoff, kicking one flight attendant in the chest and punching another in the arm.
- Augustin's sister, who was traveling with him, told authorities that they were fleeing "religious attacks" and that her brother was "fighting evil" on the plane.
- The flight returned to Savannah after the incident, and Augustin was taken into custody by airport police.
A passenger aboard a Miami-bound American Airlines flight departing from Georgia is accused of throwing "haymakers" at a flight attendant, kicking and punching others' seats and swallowing rosary beads, federal court records say.
According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, 31-year-old Delange Augustin has been charged with interfering with flight crew members following an incident on Monday night. In addition to the federal offense, the passenger was charged with battery, willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property, inmate records show.
The eight-passenger American Airlines flight, operated by Envoy Air, departed Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport for Miami International Airport, the complaint says. At takeoff, no unusual or concerning behavior was observed or reported by any of the passengers or flight crew, the court document continued.
Less than one minute after takeoff, a flight attendant noticed Augustin seemingly going through a "fit of epilepsy," the complaint reads. Witnesses on the flight told authorities Augustin was stomping, yelling, shaking and being incoherent, the document continued.
Augustin did not have a defense attorney listed in court records.
Flight turned around following Delange Augustin's alleged behavior
When another flight attendant went to check on Augustin, the passenger turned in his seat, lifted his legs and kicked the crew member in the chest, according to the complaint. The force of the kick launched the flight attendant across the aisle, across the row of seats and into a far window, the court document says, adding that the crew member experienced pain and shallow breathing for several minutes after.
The flight attendant who originally noticed Augustin's behavior said she initially thought he was having a medical issue, but his choices "appeared purposeful, though difficult to describe," the complaint reads. Both flight attendants involved in the incident told authorities they "were scared," the court filing continued.
Once the pilots heard the commotion from the closed cockpit, they and the flight attendants agreed to return the plane to Savannah, according to the complaint. While the crew was meeting to decide whether or not to turn the plane around, Augustin became more agitated and began punching and kicking the seat and passenger in front of him, the court document says.
Once the passenger moved, Augustin's continued kicking collapsed the chair in front of him, according to the complaint. When the crew announced the plane was returning to Savannah, Augustin calmed down, the court document says.
Flight attendants felt 'fear, terror, shock and physical pain' following incident
Upon landing and taxiing to the gate, the flight crew asked all passengers to remain seated, the complaint reads. Before the boarding door was opened, Augustin removed his seatbelt and “stormed the front” while clutching his sister, whom he was traveling with, according to the court filing.
When Augustin reached the front of the plane, he cornered a flight attendant in the galley and threw several "haymakers," with at least one of the punches belting the crew member's upper arm, the complaint says. Three passengers stepped in and pulled Augustin to the ground, the document continued.
Airport police eventually boarded the plane and subdued Augustin, the complaint states. The passenger was subsequently taken to a hospital to be evaluated for his behavior and the ingestion of rosary beads, the document reads. He was shortly discharged and taken to the Chatham County Detention Center.
Both involved flight attendants, who were evaluated by EMS but refused hospital transport, told authorities they felt "fear, terror, shock and physical pain," according to the complaint. They also believed Augustin had targeted them with the "intent to harm flight attendants," the court document states.
The flight to Miami departed Savannah again after a 3-hour delay and refueling, the complaint says.
"On March 10, American Eagle flight 4162, operated by Envoy, with service from Savannah (SAV) to Miami (MIA) returned to SAV due to a disruptive passenger," American Airlines said in a statement to USA TODAY. "Safety and security are our top priorities. We appreciate the professionalism of the entire crew and thank our passengers for their understanding."
Delange Augustin's sister said her brother 'needed to fight' to ward off 'evil'
When federal authorities spoke to Augustin's sister following the incident, she told them that they were on their way to Haiti to "flee religious attacks of a spiritual nature," according to the complaint. She then explained how "the evil comes out in the darkness" and that she "never experienced as much darkness as was on the plane that evening," the document states.
She also told authorities that she was not surprised her brother had hurt people because "he hurts evil," according to the court filing. While on the plane, Augustin told his sister to "close her eyes and pray because Satan's disciple(s) had followed them onto the plane and the legion did not want the Augustins to make it to Haiti," the complaint reads.
Augustin also told his sister on the flight to "never let go so she could not be taken away" as she prayed "throughout the battle," the complaint says. The sister stated that her brother swallowed the rosary beads because they are "a weapon of strength in the spiritual warfare," according to the document.
Augustin was not suffering from any medical or mental health issue or impairment, his sister told authorities, per the complaint. She added that her brother "needed to fight" for both him and her, the document states.
Augustin remains housed at the Chatham County Detention Center with a $5,150 bond, according to inmate records.