Things that only happen when you’re a maniac.
A woman that was caught on camera punching a flight attendant after refusing to faster her seatbelt and to put up her seat tray table will be facing charges and could end up 20 years in prison for assaulting the attendant.
The good thing is that the woman has been charged in a federal court with assault.
According to official reports, Vyvianna Quinonez of Antelope, Sacramento, California, was charged with 2 felonies, which includes one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and another of interfering with a flight crew.
Official court documents show that the charges were related to an incident that happened on May 23, 2021 during a Southwest Airlines Flight 700 from Sacramento International Airport to San Diego International Airport.
The charging documents said that the woman refused to fasten her seatbelt and stow away her tray table.
The airline company has confirmed that the incident has nothing to do with her COVID mask, however, witnesses said that it was a part of the argument that happened.
The court filing says:
Quinonez began filming S.L. on her cellphoneds. S.L. again approached Quinonez, and Quinonez pushed S.L. S.L. said, ‘You do not push a flight attendant,’ or words to that effect. Around that time, another passenger on the airplane began filming the interaction on her cellphone. Quinonez stood up and knowingly assaulted S.L. by intentionally punching S.L. in the face and head with a closed fist and grabbing S.L.’s hair.
Chris Mainz, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said earlier this year that the altercation did not happen because of a mask.
However, the official charging documents said that the flight attendant asked the woman to wear her face mask properly.
In the video, you could see Quinonez could be seen wearing her mask below her nose, which is not right.
The fight broke out as soon as the plane landed in San Diego.
Authorities later escorted Quinonez off the plane.
As she was being brought out, she told them that she was acting in self-defense.
A video of the incident shows something different.
In the video, the woman could be seen swinging wildly at the flight attendant.
The attendant was left with blood pouring from her face.
According to court documents, the witness ended up needing 4 stitches under her left eye, she sustained bruising on her arm and had 3 teeth chipped.
2 of those teeth were replaced by crowns.
Michelle Manner is the one who managed to take a video of the incident.
Quinonez, the woman who assaulted the attendant, is currently facing up to 20 years in prison.
Southwest has officially banned Quinonez from their airline.