A man is accused of viciously attacking a sleeping passenger on a United Airlines flight Monday afternoon, leaving him bloody and bruised, federal authorities said.
The assault occurred on a flight from San Francisco International Airport in California to Dulles International Airport in Virginia, court documents say.
Authorities said that about two hours into the flight, Everett Chad Nelson left his seat, 35F, and went to the bathroom at the front of the plane.
On his way back to his seat, Nelson stopped at seat 12F and "without notice began physically attacking a sleeping male passenger by punching him repeatedly in the face and head until blood was drawn," the court filing alleges.
The victim, who is not identified in the court documents, woke up screaming.
During the alleged one-minute attack, blood splattered on Nelson's coat, the seat, the wall and the window, the filing says. The victim had bruising on his eyes and a gash on his nose. He was treated by a doctor on the flight.
Authorities said a fellow passenger intervened and monitored Nelson at a seat near the front of the plane until it landed in Virginia. No other incidents occurred on the flight.
Nelson had no visible injuries, according to the filing, and it does not appear that the victim struck him in self-defense.
United Airlines thanked customers and crew members for quickly restraining the violent passenger.
"The flight landed safely and was met by paramedics and local law enforcement," it said in a statement.
Nelson was charged with one count of assault by beating, striking and wounding. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.