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Actor Selma Blair was taken into custody at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after an alleged altercation aboard a Delta Air Lines flight. The 54-year-old actor also faced two counts of second-degree assault over separate allegations involving a police officer and a nurse following the flight, according to a report by The Guardian.
The incident occurred on Sunday aboard Delta flight 938, which had travelled from Los Angeles to New York. According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, officers responded to a report of a disruptive passenger after the aircraft reached the gate at JFK at around 11pm.
In a statement issued on Monday, the authority said Blair “was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for evaluation”. It added: “Two flight attendants also reported injuries, and one was transported to the hospital for further evaluation.”
Several media outlets reported that Blair punched one flight attendant, bit another and attempted to open the aircraft door while the plane was airborne.
Selma Blair’s representative cites medical emergency
Following the incident, Blair’s representative attributed her alleged behaviour to a medical emergency.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the publicist said: “Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is in stable condition.”
The FBI, which handles reports of criminal incidents aboard aircraft, also issued Blair a notice charging her with assault in connection with the alleged events during the flight, according to the Associated Press.
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The federal case is expected to be handled through the petty violations court in Brooklyn.
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What are the assault charges against Selma Blair?
Separate charges were brought against Blair in Queens Criminal Court on Monday night over allegations involving a police officer and a nurse after the flight.
According to charging documents cited by The Guardian, a police officer who was transporting Blair to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center alleged that the actor pulled one of her legs free from the stretcher straps and repeatedly kicked her in the face, neck and chest. The officer reported significant pain and swelling.
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A nurse at the hospital separately alleged that Blair kicked her in the chest while she was being moved, causing substantial pain.
The court set Blair’s bail at $20,000 in cash or $60,000 bond, and her next hearing was scheduled for January. Blair left the courthouse with her lawyers after the proceedings.
Delta pilot reported injuries after landing
An air traffic control recording from the flight, published by NBC Los Angeles, captured the pilot informing controllers about injuries sustained during the incident.
The pilot said “one flight attendant and one passenger … sustained some minor injuries – a bloody nose as well as some bite marks”.
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“I don’t think we need an ambulance or anything like that – but we just want to get some medical personnel at the gate to look at their injuries,” the pilot said, according to the recording.
The air traffic controller responded that paramedics were approaching the gate and law enforcement officers were already present.
A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines said it “has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first”.
Selma Blair’s previous incident aboard a flight
In 2016, the actor was reportedly removed from a flight travelling from Cancún, Mexico, to Los Angeles on a stretcher after an episode in which she began screaming uncontrollably. She was travelling with her then four-year-old son.
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Blair later apologised for her behaviour, explaining that she had mixed alcohol with medication.
“That caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret,” Blair said at the time.
Selma Blair’s career and health
Blair is best known for her roles in films such as Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and Hellboy.
In 2018, she publicly revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic condition affecting the central nervous system.
