United Express Passenger Arrested After Beating Up Flight Attendant In Attempt To Storm Cockpit

An unhinged passenger gave a United Express flight from Washington D.C. to Newark quite the scare on January 11.

As the flight was about to touch down in Newark, 28-year-old Matthew Dingley stood up, sprinted at the cockpit and attempted to gain entry.

The rest of the passengers watched as, when confronted by flight attendants and later law enforcement officers, he went on a wild rampage.

Mike Egbert, another passenger on the flight, described the scene to NBC New York.

"This guy was in a full sprint, right up to the cockpit, hits the cockpit, starts banging on it."

After Dingley began slamming on the cockpit door, he was approached by a small, female flight attendant and began attacking her.

Egbert described the attack as "incessant."

"A slight woman, petite, and this guy was clocking her."

Shortly thereafter, a passenger with "law enforcement experience" stepped in and was able to control Dingley until the flight landed.

Once the plane was on the ground, however, Dingley got free and charged the officers who were coming to arrest him.

As the other passengers watched, Dingley pushed an officer down the flight's stairs, breaking four of his ribs.

Egbert commented on the wild scene.

"He picks up a police officer, throws the police officer...his back. If he did actually get into that cockpit lord knows what would have happened."

Dingley ultimately injured six officers, all of whom are expected to recover, before finally being taken into custody.

Dingley was not shot during his attacks on police officers nor met at the cabin door by officers with guns drawn.

That has people noting a double standard.

He is now facing charges "including aggravated assault and resisting arrest."

The flight attendant who he attacked has been released from the hospital.

Egbert described her as a "hero," acting as the first line of defense between Dingley and the cockpit.

Dingley has several previous run-ins with the law, having been part of a police chase in 2016 and convicted of a DWI in 2017.

United Express's parent company issued a statement on the incident, saying:

"Our primary concern is always to ensure the safety of all customers and crew and we are cooperating with authorities. We express our gratitude for the quick reaction of our passengers, crew and police officers who responded during this incident."