DULLES, VA. (THECOUNT) — Matthew Dingley, of Wynantskill, NY, has been identified as the suspect arrested after he allegedly tried to storm the cockpit on a United Express flight from Dulles, VA, to Newark, NJ, and then attacked the flight attendant who attempted to stop him.
Dingley, 29, is facing a multiple charges after he allegedly exited his airline seat and began running full steam toward the door of the plane’s cockpit.
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According to reports, Dingley was aboard United Express Flight 4965 from Dulles International Airport, when for unknown reasons, he did a “full sprint” toward the cockpit area of the plane as the aircraft was about to touchdown, say witnesses.
One witness who was sitting in the second row aboard the flight recounted Dingley ran up to the cockpit and began banging on the door.
When a flight attendant attempted to intervene and stop Dingley from busting his way in, he turned his attention to the woman and began beating her incessantly, reports WILM.
“A slight woman, petite, and this guy was clocking her,” the witness, identified as Mike Egbert, said.
All this was going on as the plane was landing at Newark Airport – a dangerous situation for everyone on board the aircraft. Egbert and other passengers, including one who appeared to have law enforcement experience, stepped in to try and get the situation back under control.
But Dingley wasn’t finished. After Flight 4965 was on the ground outside Terminal C, the suspect allegedly charged at Port Authority police officers, knocking one down the plane’s stairs.
“He picks up a police officer, throws the police officer…his back,” Egbert said. “If he did actually get into that cockpit lord knows what would have happened.”
The officer had to be taken to the hospital where he was found to have broken four ribs. Port Authority Police say six officers in total were injured in the scuffle with Dingley. All six are expected to recover from their injuries.
Dingley faces a series of charges including aggravated assault and resisting arrest. It’s unclear whether he had an attorney.
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Geo quick facts: Dulles is an unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia, which is part of the Washington metropolitan area. The headquarters of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Radiant Solutions, and ODIN technologies and the former headquarters of MCI Inc. and AOL are located in Dulles – Wikipedia.