SAN DIEGO (AP) — A California girl who punched a Southwest Airways flight attendant within the face all the way through a flight, breaking her enamel, has been sentenced to fifteen months in federal jail.
Vyvianna Quinonez was once additionally ordered Tuesday via the federal pass judgement on in San Diego to pay just about $26,000 in restitution and a $7,500 nice for the attack on a Would possibly 23, 2021 Southwest flight between Sacramento and San Diego.
Quinonez, 29, of Sacramento, girl is unlawful from flying for 3 years whilst she is on supervised free up and should take part in anger control categories or counseling.
Quinonez remaining yr pleaded accountable to at least one rely of interference with flight staff contributors and attendants, admitting she punched the flight attendant within the face and head with a closed fist and grabbed her hair. Neither she or her lawyer might be reached for remark Tuesday.
Throughout the flight’s ultimate descent, the attendant had requested Quinonez to buckle her seat belt, stow her tray desk down, and placed on her facemask correctly.
As an alternative, Quinonez started recording the attendant on her cell phone, driven her, then stood up and punched the lady within the face and grabbed her hair ahead of different passengers intervened, government stated.
The attack was once recorded on any other passenger’s cell phone.
The plea settlement stated that the flight attendant suffered 3 chipped enamel, two of which wanted crowns, in conjunction with bruises and a reduce below her left eye that wanted stitches.
“Assaults on flight staff contributors, who carry out essential jobs to verify passenger protection, is probably not tolerated,” stated U.S. Legal professional Randy Grossman in a commentary after the sentencing.
FBI Particular Agent in Rate Stacey Moy stated the sentence will have to “ship an excessively robust message to air vacationers — the FBI will vigorously pursue any individual who attacks or interferes with flight crews.”
The incident was once a part of an escalation in unruly conduct via airline passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic and led the president of the flight attendants’ union to invite for extra federal air marshals on planes.
Airways in 2021 reported greater than 5,000 incidents of unruly passengers to the Federal Aviation Management.
Maximum have been passengers refusing to apply the federal requirement for passengers to put on face mask whilst on planes, however just about 300 concerned intoxicated passengers, the FAA stated.