Actress Selma Blair was arrested after a flight from Los Angeles to New York’s JFK airport turned violent, with reports of biting, cutting and kicking crew members on the airplane. Authorities say she faced two state assault charges and may also face federal charges related to the incident.
Airplane incident leads to assault charges
The disturbance occurred on Delta Air Lines flight 938, which arrived at JFK late Sunday night. Port Authority Police and the FBI were dispatched after a call reported a physically abusive passenger. Flight attendants described being assaulted: one was bitten, another sustained a cut, and a third required medical attention for a bloody nose and bite marks.
Details of the flight disturbance
Selma Blair flight disturbance
According to a criminal complaint, officers used plastic restraints to subdue Blair. While being placed on a stretcher, she allegedly kicked a Port Authority officer, causing facial swelling and arm pain that required hospital treatment. She also kicked a nurse in the chest after being loaded into an ambulance.
Legal response and court appearance
Selma Blair arrest
Blair was taken into custody at the gate, transported to a hospital for evaluation, and later released on $20,000 bail. In Queens Criminal Court she entered a not‑guilty plea to the two assault counts. The judge issued an order of protection for the nurse she struck. A future court date is set for January 19, and a conviction could result in two to seven years behind bars.
Selma Blair court appearance
Her lawyer, Shawn Barnes, told the court the incident stemmed from exhaustion and a medical emergency: Blair had worked long hours, fell on the plane, hit her head, and missed several doses of medication. He argued the behavior was not intentional, seeking leniency.
Background on Selma Blair’s prior airline issues
This is not the actress’s first encounter with law enforcement on a commercial flight. In 2016 she was removed from a Cancun‑to‑Los Angeles flight after becoming unruly, later apologizing and attributing the episode to a mix of alcohol and medication.
Delta Air Lines issued a statement emphasizing its zero‑tolerance policy for unruly behavior and confirming that law‑enforcement officials boarded the aircraft upon arrival. The FBI declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Sources: CNN, CNN, The New York Times, People.com.
