The FBI arrested a Texas man for allegedly beating one passenger, attempting to strike another, injuring a second passenger and vulgarly berating a flight attendant aboard an American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington Reagan National Airport earlier this month, CBS News has learned. It occurred five weeks to the day after the crash of an American Airlines flight on the same route.
Asterius Rulamka was sitting in the 14th row of the aircraft when he allegedly got up just before the flight was landing on the night of March 5, approached a flight attendant and threatened “to f— him up upon landing,” according to an FBI affidavit reviewed by CBS News. Rulamka is also accused of referencing President Trump during an FBI interview after the flight landed.
“Several passengers, observing the threatening behavior, started filming on their cellular phones,” the affidavit said.
Charging documents alleged Rulamka approached one of the passengers who was recording a video and began attacking him, grabbing his arms and verbally threatening him as he did the flight attendant. “At one point, he struck (the victim) in the face near his left eye, causing bruising and a bloodshot eye,” the documents said.
The FBI affidavit said Rulamka repeatedly struck the passenger before he attempted to strike a second passenger. The second victim “was able to move out of the way in time to avoid being struck,” the affidavit said, but he cut his finger and broke a fingernail in the process.
According to records from the Justice Department, the incident on American Eagle flight 5574 occurred just before 9 p.m., nearly the precise time of night as the crash that occurred on another American Airlines flight from Wichita to Reagan National five weeks earlier.
“We do not tolerate violence, and thank our team members for their professionalism,” an American Airlines spokesperson told CBS News in a statement.
Charging documents submitted to the judge also alleged Rulamka “started running up and down the cabin.” It took three passengers and the flight attendants to secure Rulamka in a seat near his original seat before the plane landed, according to the documents.
The FBI affidavit said, “Upon the flight’s arrival, the defendant made several statements, including that he had come to D.C. to speak to President Trump. When asked why he wanted to speak to the President, he stated that he was ‘mad.'”
Alexandria (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office
Court records said Rulamka was the subject of an investigation for an immigration violation in 2014. The immigration proceedings are pending, according to the affidavit.
Rulumka is currently being held in jail and he faces a federal assault charge. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Alexandria Virginia on Thursday for a preliminary hearing, where the judge will determine if he should be held in jail pending trial.
A court docket listing Rulamka’s case does not indicate that he has entered a plea in the case yet, and a defense attorney for Rulamka did not immediately respond to CBS News’ requests for comment.
The FBI did not comment on the case. Each of the agency’s field offices have airport liaison agents who help handle investigations of crimes aboard commercial aircraft, including assaults.
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