Selma Blair Arrested After Alleged Assault on Delta Flight Attendants
Actress Selma Blair was taken into custody by police at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, after a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles landed with two injured flight attendants, abc.net.au reported. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated that officers responded to a call regarding a physically abusive passenger aboard Delta flight 938.
The Arrest and Hospitalization at JFK Airport
The Port Authority Police Department met the aircraft at the gate after it arrived ahead of schedule from Los Angeles International Airport. Sources familiar with the matter told abcnews.com that Blair was transported to Jamaica Hospital for medical evaluation following the incident. A representative for Blair stated that she experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct, adding that she received immediate medical attention upon landing and remained in stable condition.
Pilots had contacted air traffic controllers prior to landing to report that one person sustained a bloody nose and another suffered bite marks, requesting medical personnel to wait at the gate, according to abcnews.com. Delta Air Lines confirmed that law enforcement met the flight upon arrival and noted that the airline maintains zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior.
Federal Charges and Court Appearances
Sources familiar with the case told abcnews.com that Blair arrived at Queens Central Booking on Monday facing two counts of assault for allegedly kicking a Port Authority Police Department officer. She also faced a potential charge regarding an altercation with a nurse at the hospital. A source familiar with a federal summons told abcnews.com that Blair received a violation notice alerting her to federal charges of assault within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. That summons is answerable to the petty violations court in Brooklyn federal court, with no appearance date currently set. The FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration both confirmed they are investigating the incident, while an FBI New York spokesperson declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
Blair Previously Suffered a Psychotic Blackout During Travel
The incident follows a previous travel disruption involving Blair in June 2016, when she was removed from a flight on a stretcher and hospitalized after a disturbance on a trip home. Blair later issued a statement to Vanity Fair explaining that she had mixed alcohol with medication, causing her to black out. In subsequent interviews, including an appearance on “The Talk” in October 2016, she described the episode as a total psychotic blackout.
Known for her roles in films such as Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, Hellboy, and The Sweetest Thing, Blair has in recent years focused publicly on advocacy for disability rights. Following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2018, she announced in 2021 that she was in remission and subsequently joined then-United States president Joe Biden at the White House in 2023 to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Federal prosecutors’ offices in New York and Blair’s publicist did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
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