Selma Blair in custody over allegation of physical attack on plane, injury of two flight attendants

Actor Selma Blair has been arrested after allegedly becoming violent and lashing out during a flight from Los Angeles to New York.

Blair, 54, had allegedly become physically abusive and injured two Delta flight attendants before she was taken into custody late on Sunday night (Monday AEDT) after the plane landed in New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement.

Blair, who had major roles in films including 1999’s Cruel Intentions, 2001’s Legally Blonde and 2004’s Hellboy, allegedly punched one flight attendant midair, bit another and attempted to open the aircraft door during the flight, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Meanwhile, gossip blog TMZ has reported that Blair was restrained on the plane and arrested upon landing, before being transported to hospital for an evaluation. Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ reported that Blair allegedly kicked a Port Authority officer in the head while being taken to hospital, then allegedly assaulted a nurse once she arrived.

Blair’s representative said she had experienced a “medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct” and was currently in a stable condition in hospital in a statement to various media outlets.

In audio recorded by a witness and obtained by TMZ, Blair can allegedly be heard screaming as she exited the plane in New York. In a separate dispatch audio also obtained by TMZ, officials can be heard requesting medical personnel at the gate after reports of minor injuries, including a bloody nose and bite marks.

Charges listed on a violation notice issued by the FBI are assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, according to a federal law enforcement official who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity. The matter will be handled through the petty violations court in federal court in Brooklyn. No date has been set for her appearance.

The FBI, which is responsible for investigating all assaults aboard aircraft, declined to release details.

“Yesterday, we were informed by our partners at Port Authority Police Department of a potential assault aboard a flight that arrived into JFK. As per long-standing DOJ policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations,” said Sydney Kleinmann, a spokesperson for the FBI NY.

Delta told the Hollywood Report it had “zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behaviour, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.”

In recent years, Blair has advocated for disability rights. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018.

She joined President Joe Biden at the White House in 2023 to celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It is not Blair’s first incident aboard a flight. In 2016 she reportedly began screaming uncontrollably accusing an unnamed person of wanting to kill her while returning to Los Angeles from a holiday in Mexico, creating chaos on the flight. Two nurses onboard the flight helped subdue her and she was taken off the flight in a stretcher when it landed in Los Angeles and transported to hospital for evaluation.

Blair later apologised for the incident, saying she had experienced a blackout after mixing alcohol with prescription medication.

“That caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret,” Blair said per The Hollywood Reporter. “My son was with his dad asleep with his headphones on, so there is that saving grace. I take this very seriously, and I apologise to all of the passengers and crew that I disturbed and am thankful to all of the people who helped me in the aftermath. I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry.”

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